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Are you aware of FARM WATCH?
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HORSE & FARMWATCH
Although the following incident occurred in another county I feel it is a timely reminder for anyone owning horses or ponies to ensure they are chipped or freeze marked. I appreciate that it may not be possible to keep horses and ponies within sight, but by joining Horsewatch you can very quickly be contacted about any suspicious activity in your immediate area. In addition Horsewatch signs on and around your property will act as a deterrent. The person or persons who perpetrated this crime may have been heading in our general direction. We need to catch these people. Any information you have, however small please let us know.
Pony Put Down After Theft at Langford, Bedfordshire
Police are seeking help from the public after a horrific incident involving two ponies that occurred during the late evening /night of August 13th 2009.
The ponies were in their field at Edworth Road, Langford, when they were loaded into a horsebox stolen from elsewhere and towed away. It is likely they were towed through Dunton on the B1042, as the horsebox was found at Croydon in Cambridgeshire near the A1198. The floor of the trailer had collapsed resulting in one of the ponies sustaining injuries, which necessitated the mare being destroyed. The thieves had callously unhitched the trailer and left the ponies in this dreadful state. Police need to trace the people responsible for this atrocity.
Bedfordshire Police would like to hear from you if you saw it on the road, saw it being abandoned, or if you know where this trailer has been stolen. It has the words Ambers Tressure (note the unusual spelling) stencilled on the inside, which could be the name of a horse belonging to the trailer’s owner,” she said.
Anyone who can help should contact PC Wayland on 01234 841212, or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555111.
In addition
Between 2000 on Saturday 15 Aug and 0515 the next morning a burglary took place at an address in Saxlingham Nethergate, Norfolk. An outbuilding at the address was entered and a female foal, thought to be Shetland, was stolen. She is bay and cream with a black mane and black hooves. She was born on 25 June 2009 and is about 10 hands. She is NOT chipped.
FARM & HORSE WATCHES
WHY NOT JOIN Suffolk’s FARM AND HORSEWATCH SCHEMES – JUST SPEAK TO A MEMBER OF YOUR SAFER NEIGHBOURHOOD TEAM on
01284 774100 or the COMMUNITY WATCH & SNT LIAISON OFFICER (details below in ‘About this Newsletter’)
THE MAIN AIMS OF FARM/HORSEWATCH ARE TO
Reduce opportunities for crime and vandalism through advice, information on offences and vigilance
Strengthen community spirit so that everyone can play a part in protecting their property
Improve two-way communication between farmers, rural communities and the police
Reduce fear of crime in rural areas
You can also go to the following website for further information.
http://www.ukhorsewatch.org.uk/
Farm watch
As a farmer, your
capital is spread over many acres in the form of
stock and equipment, much of which is portable and
so is easy to steal.
The ease of access to most farms makes total
security impossible - but there’s a lot that you can
do to reduce the risks. And it doesn’t all involve
extra expense.
FARMWATCH
The main aims of FarmWatch are to:
· Reduce opportunities for crime and vandalism.
· Strengthen community spirit so that everyone can
play a part in protecting their property.
· Improve two-way communication between farmers and
the police.
· Reduce fear of crime.
FarmWatch members are asked to be vigilant and to
report anything suspicious to the police. People who
live in the farming community have a very
specialised knowledge which the police may find it
hard to achieve. So be prepared to share your
knowledge with your farming neighbours and with the
police
LIVESTOCK
Grazing animals are an easy target for the thief.
Regularly check the fields where animals are grazing
- daily if possible.
Keep your hedges, fences and gates in good repair.
Ditches form a natural barrier. Field gate hinges
should have capping hinges so they cannot be removed
easily. Cattle grids should be removable and locked
out of position when not in use. Use locking posts
to obstruct large openings to yards etc.
Consider using closed circuit TV so you can watch
animals in barns or yards from the comfort of your
home. This can be especially useful during busy
times like the lambing season.
If livestock is stolen it is important that you can
give the police an accurate description. Eartags and
horn brands help police to identify stock. Freeze
branding, hot branding or tattooing your postcode
will also help.
Take photographs of particularly valuable animals.
MACHINERY AND TOOLS
Try to secure or immobilise vehicles or equipment
when not in use. If it is possible remove machinery
from fields, especially near roads.
Identify your property by:
· Keeping a record of the serial number, chassis and
model numbers of machines.
· Painting your name on valuable tarpaulins in
letters at least one foot high.
· Using metal engravers to mark tools, vehicles and
equipment with your postcode followed by the first
two letters of your farm’s name.
· Always keep tools and small pieces of machinery
locked away. Do not leave them lying around.
FARM BUILDINGS
Store valuable equipment and tools - chainsaws,
welding and cutting equipment, vehicle spares and
riding tack - in a secure building behind a strong
locked door. Or, build a metal storage cage inside a
building and keep it locked.
Use British Standard locks, good quality locking
bars and high security padlocks. Windows can be
protected with metal bars. Lock outbuildings when
you are not using them.
Thieves don’t like well-lit areas so fit outside
security lights that are controlled by an automatic
time-switch or infra-red beams that react to heat or
movement.
Consider fitting an intruder alarm or closed circuit
TV to alert you to anything auspicious.
FARMHOUSE
Farmhouses attract burglars because they are often
large and in isolated places.
Fit British Standard deadlocks to all outside doors,
reinforced with strong bolts, which are preferably
key-operated.
Fit window locks on ground floor windows and those
near flat roofs and drain pipes.
The main door should have a security chain and
wide-angle door viewer, so that you can see who is
on the other side of the door.
A burglar alarm is useful but is often a last line
of defence. Most only warn you when someone has
already broken into your house. Your first priority
should be to stop them getting that far.
Keep shotguns and firearms in a securely locked
place and store ammunition separately. If you have
to keep cash or jewellery in the house, a safe is a
good idea.
Keep a record of your valuable possessions. Where
possible, use a security marking device to mark them
with your postcode followed by your house number or
the first two letters of your farm’s name.
Photograph your most valuable items - with a ruler
to indicate scale.
Don’t advertise that you are not at home by leaving
notes for traders, or garage doors open.
When your house is empty ask a neighbour to keep an
eye on your farm and be prepared to do the same for
them!
IT COSTS NOTHING TO BE ALERT
By joining FarmWatch you will be kept up to date on
the current crime trends in your area. Encourage
your employees to be security conscious, and look
out for strange vans or cars - a registration number
may give the police a vital lead.
INSURANCE PAYS
It is very important to have adequate insurance
cover It pays to have full cover against of
vehicles, equipment and livestock etc. as well as
for the contents of your home and other buildings.
Advice from your insurance company is free - whether
it’s about insurance itself, or on ways to make your
farm more secure
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