Stolen tractor recovered in hours
Stolen vehicle recovery expert, TRACKER, is warning farmers in Cambridgeshire and Lincolnshire to be extra vigilant after a recent wave of tractor thefts in the regions. The North Level District Internal Drainage Board became the latest victim, when its £60.000 tractor was stolen whilst on site at Tydd Gote, Wisbech in the early hours of the morning.
Two hours after reporting the theft, the tractor was recovered in Essex on an articulated lorry along with two other vehicles.
The North Level District Internal Drainage Boardis in an area in the heart of the Fens that is heavily reliant on pumped drainage to evacuate surplus water from agricultural, industrial and urban properties. Therefore the recovery of the tractor was vital in completing essential work.
Paul Sharman, engineer for The North Level District Internal Drainage Board says, “It is a really busy time of year for us so it’s not always practical and time efficient to return all machinery to our secure depot at the end of each day. The financial impact would have been immense if the tractor had not been recovered. Not only would it have delayed completing the job, we would also have the expense of replacing it. Thankfully it only took a few hours for the tractor to be recovered. Installing a TRACKER unit is the best financial move we made.”
The farming industry has seen a huge increase in equipment thefts over the last few months, with plant being commonly stolen to order and often involving highly organised criminal groups. These groups operate internationally, to move stolen machinery out of the UK and into countries such as Poland and this is where it is believed the stolen tractor was heading.
“An estimated £50 million to £70 million worth of plant and agricultural machinery is stolen in the UK annually and currently only 5 per cent of those are recovered*,” explains Stuart Chapman, Police Liaison Officer at TRACKER. “It still amazes me that plant equipment is manufactured without a unique ignition key, as without this, it is relatively easy to steal a £60,000 tractor. For peace of mind I would recommend any tractor, plant or farm machinery owner to invest in a tracking unit just in case it is stolen, it can save thousands of pounds in the long term.”
TRACKER Plant has been created to offer an unrivalled level of protection against the growing threat of plant theft. Based on TRACKER’s market leading stolen vehicle recovery system, TRACKER Plant significantly increases the chances of recovery. The system is Thatcham approved, offering added quality assurance and the possibility of an insurance discount.
A covert transmitter is hidden in one of several dozen places around the vehicle. There is no visible aerial, so the thief would not know it is there. Unlike other tracking systems, TRACKER Plant works even if the vehicle is hidden in a garage or taken abroad, offering car owners the ultimate in peace of mind should the worst happen.
