General News
29 August, 2024
Criminals targeting farm gear
A spate of farm thefts across the region has sparked calls for greater vigilance from farmers whose unlocked sheds provide easy pickings for stealthy midnight raiders.
Among the latest hauls have been diesel fuel, motorbikes and easy-to-carry gear such as chain saws and batteries.
A Honda Z50 bike in mint condition also has disappeared from the Watchem area.
Farmers north of Horsham are among the latest victims, with the loss of valuable equipment from an enclosed building close to their home.
Western Region Acting Inspector Brendan Broadbent said he wanted to assure the farming community that police crime units were active, met regularly to discuss the issue and acted on all notifications of theft and burglary.
"Police involved in these units are often from farms themselves so understand the issues involved," he said.
"We're finding that many of the culprits are locals who have cased out properties and return for easily transported items that are easily passed on, such as diesel fuel and power tools."
He said locked sheds, security cameras and lights helped minimise theft. Information from residents about vehicles not usually seen in the area was also a help.
Insp Broadbent said the police district was one of the largest in the state, comprising 33,000 square kilometres and stretching from Speed in the north to Harrow in the south, east to St Arnaud and west to the South Australian border, and included many isolated farms and falling farmer numbers.
All these factors made identifying theft - and then finding the culprit - a difficult task, he said.
"We also believe there's a lot of under-reporting and that other factors could also come into play here such as the increasing cost of living."
Many farmers also had open sheds, lack of security and, in the case of stock theft, weeks or even months could pass before theft was both recognised and reported.
Differing state regulations on stock sales also added a degree of difficulty when trying to trace stock.
"One of the strangest thefts was of a header, but we did find it," Insp Broadbent said.
He said in years past farmers left equipment and valuable items around and theft was rare. That was no longer the case.
He urged people to report theft immediately in person, online or to Crime Stoppers Victoria on 1800 333 000.