Farm Watch & Horse Watch

The area has an impressive number of Farm Watch and Horse Watch members.  Beat officers continue to maintain regular contact with members, sharing information and giving crime prevention advice.

We would urge any farms, stables etc. that are not members of these schemes to contact us to discuss further and obtain details of how to join.

Please take note of the following crime prevention advice;

*Do not leave valuables in insecure outbuildings, particularly overnight.  Fit outbuildings with sturdy doors and locks where possible.

*Do not leave tools outside; they could be used to break in to your property.

*Make sure garage doors are kept locked and secure.  Consider ground locks for the doors, and ground anchors to secure bikes etc.

*Keep records of serial numbers, photograph your valuables, and mark your property using a property marking kit.

*If you have horse tack, get it marked with your postcode with a leather punching kit.  We will be running periodic tack-marking events so keep a look out on our events section.

*If possible, install security lighting, cameras or alarm systems.

*If you have gates, keep them shut whenever possible and ideally keep them locked, particularly overnight.

*Register off-road vehicles with the DVLA for free.  See www.gov.uk/vehicle-registration.  Think about fitting trackers to high value vehicles.

*Cut back vegetation that might shield a burglar from view, and remove items that a burglar could use to climb over walls and fences, eg. piles of pallets, recycling bins etc.

*Trailers and horse boxes could be stolen and used to transport other items, so keep them locked away or use a hitch-lock.

*Alert police if you see people who seem out of place or behaving suspiciously, such as vans loitering by your yard or vehicles idling outside of properties after dark.  Keep notes of vehicle registrations if you can, but don’t put yourself at risk to take them.

Actions

• 1 July 2023
  

  Officers continue with regular patrols, visiting farms and stables, checking crime alerts are being received and warning signs are visible and in good condition.

• 24 January 2023
  

  Officers continue with regular patrols, visiting farms and stables, checking crime alerts are being received and warning signs are visible and in good condition.

• 10 April 2022
  

  Officers have been visiting farms on the beat to discuss any problems, replace worn out Farm Watch signs, and sign up any farms that are not members.