Beware of the Spring Surge in Tractor GPS Thefts - How to Protect Your Equipment

We want to share some important information and news that you need to be aware of --- Tractor GPS theft and how to prevent it from happening to you. (Thanks to Our Friends at Farmer's Weekly.)

And as a quick aside --- we are here to help you purchase a new tractor and implements when the time is right.

Spring GPS Kit Theft Is Exploding Worldwide

Farmers are being warned to beef up security in their farmyards following a spring surge in tractor global positioning system (GPS) kit thefts amid a relaxation of Covid-19 restrictions.

Rural insurer NFU Mutual has reported thefts of expensive GPS kits from farm machinery in East Anglia, the Midlands, and northwest England.

Thieves are stealing all makes and models of GPS control units --- together with screens and domes from tractors.

The recent spate is “worryingly similar” to last year’s unprecedented surge in GPS theft, which saw hundreds of thousands of pounds of equipment stolen from farms across the UK during the Covid-19 lockdown.

“We’re seeing a resurgence in GPS theft in some areas and we are concerned it could spread to other parts of the UK,” said Bob Henderson, who leads NFU Mutual’s agricultural engineering field team.

Organized Criminals

When asked about the reasons behind the trend, Mr. Henderson said thieves were taking advantage of increased spring activity on farms to identify targets --- and with lockdown easing, criminals may feel able to travel without risk of being stopped.

“These criminals are well organized and know what they are looking for --- so it’s essential that farmers remove their GPS kit when possible --- when it’s not in use and store it securely,” he advised.

“It’s also well worth beefing up security in farmyards, machinery sheds, and on tractors to make it harder for thieves to operate.”

Det Cons Chris Piggott, who coordinates the police agricultural vehicle crime unit at the National Vehicle Crime Intelligence Service, said GPS theft was now an international crime, with countries across the globe experiencing thefts and attempts to sell stolen equipment back into the farming sector.

“There are also home-grown criminals stealing GPS systems as people turn to criminal activity to make a quick buck,” he added.

Farmers are being asked to report suspicious activity – including drones flying over farms, vehicles visiting that are not known to the farm or trespassers.

How to Protect Your GPS Kit

NFU Mutual and the National Vehicle Crime Intelligence Service (NaVCIS) have teamed up to offer farmers advice on how to foil GPS kit thieves.

They offer the following advice to protect GPS systems from thieves:

• Activate PIN security on GPS kit with your own unique number, if available.

• If your system is not pin enabled, mark your postcode to deter thieves and trace your property back to you.

• Keep tractors and combines with GPS fitted stored out of sight.

• Remove GPS kit from tractors and other machinery and store it securely when not in use.

• Security mark and record serial numbers and photograph of your kit.

• Check serial numbers of second-hand kit offered for sale and be wary of stolen items.

Hopefully, this brief article has helped you understand the importance of protecting your tractor GPS kit.

If you need any further help or have any questions about GPS kits, tractors, implements, or anything else equipment-related, please contact your dealer, local mechanic, or call us at 602-734-9944. Please ask about our current new and used tractor supply.

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