Leicestershire’s rural communities can help reduce and prevent crime by taking some simple steps to secure their homes and businesses.
Isolated properties, stables, farm buildings, machinery, trailers and livestock are all vulnerable to criminals if reasonable steps are not taken to keep them safe and secure.
Leicestershire Constabulary’s crime reduction officers encourage everyone who lives and works in our rural communities to be vigilant, reporting any suspicious activity to the police and reviewing security arrangements currently in place.
People should ask themselves how easy would it be to gain access to your premises, outbuilding, sheds, tack rooms, farmhouses etc? Are your locks adequate – could they be forced? Can horseboxes, trailers or vehicles be removed without you hearing? Could you describe or identify stolen property if it were recovered?
The following advice suggests some ways in which those in rural communities can protect themselves and their property from crime.
Farm buildings
Farm buildings are used to store valuable equipment, tools and farm supplies and, when left insecure, are inviting to thieves.
Ensure that valuable equipment is stored in a secure building behind a strong locked door, or use a metal cage and keep it locked when unattended.
Use locks that comply with the British Standards, good quality locking bars and high security padlocks.
Windows can be an open invitation to thieves – protect them with metal bars or grilles.
Keep doors to farm buildings locked at all times when not in use – even if you are only away for a short while.
Farmhouses
Farmhouses are often in isolated locations and can be vulnerable to if not properly secured. Fortunately, there are some steps you can take to help reduce the risk of becoming a victim.
Ensure that doors and windows are well maintained and in a good state of repair.
Fit mortice deadlocks that comply with the British Standards to all external doors and reinforce with locking bolts. Make sure that doors are kept locked – even when you’re on the premises.
Fit locks to all ground floor windows.
Invest in timers that turn lights on and off inside the house if you go out at night and consider installing security lighting outside.
Perimeter
A secure perimeter to your farm should help keep livestock in and criminals out; there are a number of points to remember when looking at perimeter security.
Spend time checking fences and hedges bordering rural properties to identity weak-spots that could provide access to criminals or vehicles and secure where necessary.
Install a barrier or gate to drives or entrances to restrict access from unwelcome vehicles and lock using good quality chains and padlocks. Make sure that they can’t be lifted off the hinges.
Install security lighting around yards, outbuildings and isolated locations and consider building and perimeter alarms where practical.
Tack rooms
Tack rooms are occasional targets by criminals in rural communities and saddles, bridles and other equipment are attractive to thieves and can be expensive to replace if stolen.
The construction of tack rooms is an important aspect in keeping the contents secure – brick or concrete block is ideal and wood can be reinforced internally with steel plate or mesh.
Wooden doors should be reinforced with steel where appropriate and door frames strong and secured to the fabric of the building. Use good quality mortice locks to doors where possible, or alternatively use heavy-duty close shackle padlocks and heavy duty pad bars.
Windows, no matter how small, can provide entry for would-be thieves and should be fitted with grilles, bars or removed completely.
Saddles and bridles should be secured to their racks when not in use and wheelbarrows, trolleys and other moveable items should be kept separate to tack or secured as they could be used to make removal of property easier.
Security-marking property can be a deterrent to thieves and makes stolen items easier to return to their rightful owners if they are recovered.
Tack, rugs, saddles and other equipment should be marked with the owners’ postcode. It may also be helpful to keep a list of all your equipment noting down any identifiable marks or serial numbers; this form will help.
Trailers and horseboxes
Vehicles, trailers and horseboxes are all potential targets for criminals, especially if they are left unsecured or in isolated locations. If possible park them as close to your premises as possible, preferably out of sight from nearby roads.
Wheelclamps are available to fit all sizes of wheel and should be used to help prevent trailers, horseboxes other vehicles from being taken away. Locking posts can also be installed to provide further security for trailers.
Marking your trailers so they are easily identifiable can deter thieves and help police return them to their rightful owners if they are stolen. There are several trailer-marking schemes, which use either your postcode or a unique number that is entered onto a database. This information can be die-stamped or engraved.
Consider installing an alarm to trailers and horseboxes that is activated when they are moved.
Machinery and tools
Just like a good worker never blames their tools, a good worker always takes adequate security precautions to help prevent becoming a victim of tool-theft.
Secure or immobilise vehicles and equipment when not in use and remove keys from cars, tractors and other vehicles are unattended.
Try to avoid leaving machinery in isolated locations or fields – particularly near roads – where they can be removed without attracting attention.
Mark your machinery and tools visibly with a postcode and house/farm name – this not only acts as deterrent to thieves, but also helps reunite stolen property with the rightful owners if it is recovered. Consider making a list of tools, together with serial numbers and any identifying marks.
Keep tools locked away when not in use as well as being taken away, they could be used to gain access to secured premises.
Livestock
Grazing animals can also be a target for criminals and should be treated like any other valuables, employing crime prevention measures where necessary.
Check the security of perimeter fencing/hedging and make regular checks of fields where animals are kept to ensure perimeter fences are not breached.
Use eartags, horn brands and freeze/hot brand marking or tattooing to make animals more easily accessible.
Take photographs of animals, particularly ones that are valuable or could be attractive to criminals.
