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.”