Farmers Weekly recently reported that security has improved for tractors. However, the bad news is that theft of quad bikes and fuel is on the increase. Over the last twelve months quad bike theft has increased by more than 150%. It seems that ATVs have now surpassed tractors as the most wanted vehicle for thieves in rural areas.
A spokesman for NFU Mutal, the insurance company, has said that farmers have improved security on their tractors and this seems to have acted as a deterrent to thieves. However, thieves are not being deterred altogether as they are now turning to quad bikes, which are typically easier to steal. Thieves have probably reached the conclusion that larger equipment will have more security devices attached to it. At the moment not many farmers use tracker systems and advanced security measures to guard their farm quads. This can make them a much easier target.
On the positive side, early indications show that the crime statistics for this year are less than previous years and the total amount of thefts has also dropped by around 10%. This is yet another indication that thieves are steering clear of the larger, higher value and better protected vehicles like tractors, with the focus now being on farm quad bikes which are more vulnerable. Fuel theft has also been on the rise and this has caused a dramatic rise in claims for diesel. Red diesel is essential on farms and when the cost goes up so does the amount of thefts reported.
Farmers in rural regions who rely on their ATVs may wish to consider making sure that adequate security measures are in place to protect their quad bikes. Paying out for additional security measures may mean spending money, but it could be a lot less than having to replace a quad bike and managing without it until a replacement is found.