DAY 70: Plant and agricultural machinery thefts within the Thames Valley continue to fall say PANIU

The latest Plant and Agricultural National Intelligence Unit (PANIU) report has listed the Thames Valley area in equal eighth place (out of ten) in a list showing the levels of plant and agricultural machinery thefts, whereby first place is the force with the highest level and tenth is the force with the lowest level of plant thefts.

The report shows that the Thames Valley area has seen a gradual drop in offences since October 2012 until September 2013.

This is a great achievement for Thames Valley Police as traditionally, the South East region is subject to one of the highest levels of plant and agricultural thefts. The figures for the Thames Valley are particularly good considering the size of the rural area the Force covers when compared to other forces which cover much less.

The rest of the PANIU report can be found on the Datatag website.

Earlier last year, Thames Valley Police received an award from Datatag in recognition of its commitment to proactive policing to combat construction and agricultural equipment thefts and have continued the effort into this year.

Thames Valley Police security marked over 300 agricultural machines last year with the Construction Equipment Security and Registration (CESAR) security system.

Thames Valley Police continue to offer a discount on Datatag’s CESAR kits to residents living in Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Berkshire.

The benefits of getting your equipment registered with CESAR include:

• Easily identifiable machinery 
•  Swift identification should your machinery get stolen
• Swift return of stolen machinery to the rightful owner
• CESAR security symbol on the machinery will deter thieves

The standard price for the CESAR kit is £149 plus VAT. The Thames Valley Police discount allows residents to have the kit installed for £88 plus VAT.

Find out more about the CESAR scheme on the official website.

To take advantage of this offer, call the Datatag booking line 01784 778 310 and mention Thames Valley Police.

DAY 43: Banbury rural neighbourhood patrol and check scrap metal dealers across Cherwell

Last Thursday (12/12), the 100 days of action team patrolled the Cherwell area looking for scrap metal collectors. It also gave the officers and opportunity to speak with Cherwell District Council and update them on the new legislation and offences surrounding scrap metal.

The new Scrap Metal Dealers Act 2013 came into force on the 1 December 2013. The act has a number of changes to the existing legislation and these are as follows:

•  All individuals and businesses must complete an enhanced application process to obtain a scrap metal dealer license. The local authorities have the power to turn down unsuitable applicants. 
•   Local authorities have a new power whereby they can revoke a license
• All sellers of metal are required to provide personal identification at the point of sale which should then be recorded by the scrap metal dealer.
• There are now new powers for the police and local authorities to enter and inspect scrap metal sites.
• There is now a new central public register, hosted by the Environment Agency, of all individuals and businesses licensed as scrap metal dealers
• The definition of a scrap metal dealer has been broadened to include motor salvage operators.
• It is now also an offence to buy metal with cash to travelling metal collectors.

All the scrap metal dealers spoken to by the team last Thursday were all in order and held up to date paperwork and insurance!

Tim Hollamby from Datatag assists with the CESAR marking

PCSO Chris Kidd assists wit the event at PA Turney, Bicester

Throughout the day the team also held a CESAR (Construction Equipment Security and Registration) marking event at PA Turney in Bicester. The CESAR scheme have proved that having CESAR registration markings fitted to farm machinery hugely reduces the risk of having it stolen. Thieves generally don’t like to risk being caught and will more likely go for something unmarked or unprotected!

Other benefits of CESAR marking include:

• Easily identifiable machinery
• Swift identification should your machinery get stolen
• Swift return of stolen machinery to the rightful owner

Thames Valley Police are still offering a 20 per cent discount on CESAR kits to residents living in Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Berkshire.

The standard price for the CESAR kit is £149 plus VAT. The Thames Valley Police discount allows residents to have the kit installed for £88 plus VAT.

Find out more about the CESAR scheme on the official website.

 

To take advantage of this offer, call the Datatag booking line 01784 778 310 and mention Thames Valley Police.

                                                                                                  

DAY 26: Mounted section help spread the rural crime word around Wycombe

Today’ s operation was once again spread around the whole Wycombe area, advising farmers, business owners and employees and even delivery drivers about the importance of calling police if they see anything suspicious.

The Local Policing Area Commander, Superintendent Houalla, also joined officers and visited farms and businesses in the North Dean and Lacey Green areas, reaffirming the need to call police on 101 if there is anything that causes concern. He was very keen that those he spoke to make full use of the rural crime reduction services and marking systems that we offer.

The mounted section (horses to you and me!) were also part of today’s operation, patrolling around Speen and Loosley Row and spreading the rural crime prevention message. By a stroke of luck they were close to a primary school at home time, making the day of the children leaving school!



A CESAR marked tractor



The local newspaper was also involved and will be helping to spread the message that the High Wycombe’s Rural Police teams take rural crime very seriously and local people are being actively encouraged to call the police if they suspect criminal activity. Police will attend and deal with those suspected of being involved in criminal activity very robustly.

Tips to consider: 

• Have you spoken to your employees about reporting suspicious activity? Young workers may be particularly apprehensive about reporting suspicious activity just in case in turns out to be nothing. Remind them it doesn’t matter if it does turn out to be nothing, police officers will decide and deal appropriately. Nobody will get into trouble for having a hunch!

·         If you see anyone acting suspiciously, don’t approach or confront them, particularly if the perpetrator is seen to be hare coursing or poaching with firearms. Call police straight away instead.

·         When reporting a crime or suspicious activity details such as exact location, direction the offenders travelled off in, how long ago you saw them and descriptive details like height, build, clothing, hair colour, skin colour, car registrations are all really helpful to not only help officers find them but link other jobs that have been called in if the descriptions match

The Wycombe team’s numbers for Thursday’s operation are as follows:

31 farms visited

28 crime reduction packs delivered

20 people signed up to Thames Valley Alerts

24 people signed up to Country Watch

11 signed up to Horse Watch

54 Country Watch gate signs put up

14 items of property marked using CRE Marking

15 items of property marked using Selecta DNA

190 pieces of horse tack marked and...

23 pieces of agricultural machinery marked using CESAR!

If you are interested in security marking your valuables, you can do so via the immobilise website. Police forces across the country check stolen items they find on the immobilise website to try and trace the real owner. So if your property is stolen, police have more chance of getting it back to you once it is found.

Find out more about securing farming tools and property on the Thames Valley Police website.

DAY 24: Police and Trading Standards check vans and plant machinery in Wycombe ANPR operation

Day two for the Wycombe LPA started with a briefing at Princes Risborough for an ANPR operation that took place on the A4010 between High Wycombe and Princes Risborough.

The ANPR was held together with officers from Trading Standards and involved security checking all vans and agricultural vehicles travelling through the area.



Owners of argicultural machinery are keen to have their vehciles CESAR marked

During the 3 hours of this operation over 1000 vehicles went through with a number of these being stopped and spoken to for a variety of reasons from no insurance to CESAR checking. Several owners have asked for their agricultural vehicles to be marked. These will be followed up over the coming weeks.

Throughout the day other officers deployed to continue spreading the crime prevention message to farms and rural locations. Have your Say events were also held at key locations continuing to sign people up to TV alerts and Country Watch.

Built into the patrol plan today were some of the more remote lanes on the area with a view to deterring fly tipping. One incident of fly tipping has been reported and officers will be liaising with the Council to take this forward.



DAY 22: Wycombe rural neighbourhood teams deliver Country Watch packs to farms and stables

Yesterday the team was split across the rural parts of the Wycombe policing area to concentrate on visiting farms, stables and industrial areas to deliver Country Watch packs and provide signage and crime prevention advice. The team also made appointments to come back to carry out a security survey and arranged property and visits from Datatag to fit CESAR security kits and tack marking kits.

Security marking property

The team also held two ‘have your say’ events across the area allowing people to come and voice their concerns about crime in the area and also receive some information about how to protect their property and land.

From the visits and the meetings:

·         24 Country Watch packs were delivered

·         38 people signed up to Thames Valley Alerts, Country Watch alerts and Horse watch

·         44 Country Watch gate signs delivered

·         Arrangements put in place to come back and security mark over 80 items of valuable property!



Signing up to Thames Valley Alerts







Having your say at Wyevale Garden Centre