Cumbria’s Police and Crime Commissioner, Peter McCall, is calling on rural communities to secure their vehicles and property in response to a rise in theft in recent months. Quad bikes and other agricultural vehicles have been stolen from across the county.
The Commissioner is raising awareness of vehicle safety during the dark nights and as we move towards the lambing season.
The Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner and Cumbria Constabulary held a marking event at Kirkby Stephen Auction Mart in November 2019 to fit agricultural vehicles with security trackers at a reduced cost. The £150 CESAR tags were offered to all rural businesses for £50 to help heighten vehicle security.
Peter McCall, said: “The winter months bring in darker nights and this creates a better opportunity for criminals to surveil and steal from homes and businesses across Cumbria.
“We need to work together as a community to deter these criminals as best we can – the more secure a vehicle is the less likely it will be targeted.
“I would urge everyone to always make sure their keys are somewhere safe, to lock away their vehicles within a secure building, whether this is a garage or shed, and report any suspicious activity to the police on 999 or 101 in a non-emergency situation.
“The police are doing what they can to stop these thieves but we really need the public’s help to build intelligence as well as make it as difficult as possible for these criminals to get their hands on our well-earned property. If you see anything suspicious – report it.
“We are going to be doing more marking events across the county in the near future to help prevent more thefts but we need the public to come forward and be a part of the solution – I believe in a “we – not they” approach so we all need to work together to make our communities a safer place to live.”
