New Protection for Your Farm Equipment in the Fight Against Theft

Vehicle security specialist HH Driveright is ready to assist the fight against rural crime in the UK, having adapted its GM 2020 vehicle immobilisation and tracking device to increase the protection of tractors, quad bikes and other engine-driven agricultural machinery.

The GM 2020 has had dramatic and positive impacts in reducing van thefts, and can be equally effective in protecting agricultural machinery.  Once fitted to a tractor, it can firstly prevent an operator leaving the keys in the ignition.  If they do, it will emit a warning signal within ten seconds.  If the operator does not respond, the device will immobilise the vehicle.  That can be a vital way of stopping any thieves, monitoring the farm, from quickly and easily stealing equipment. 

If immobilised merely due to operator forgetfulness and failure to remove the keys, the equipment can be mobilised again within minutes, once a call is made to the control centre.

The device also comes as a tracker-only option, which is useful for the protection of quad bikes.  

With serious organised crime gangs behind rural theft – with the majority of stolen items being stolen to order and seemingly heading to under-sanction Russia[i] – parking vehicles in a barn is no deterrent.  Barn side panels are simply removed, to enable thieves to get what they want.

If they manage to steal the equipment, it is quickly loaded inside a vehicle and driven away.  If a tractor is fitted with the GM 2020 hardwire device, however, it can be remotely immobilised, the minute the theft is detected, leaving the vehicle to be of little use to the thieves.  Simultaneous tracking of its location at that time of immobilisation might enable police to locate it before any decisions can be made to strip it down into parts.

If a quad bike is fitted with the GM2020 track device, the farmer should be able to pinpoint its location.

This is yet another layer of protection for farmers to use in the fight against rural crime, which cost the UK £49.5m in 2022, up £40.5m from the previous year.  Since then, there has been a 300% increase in rural crime in the first quarter of 2023.

The GM 2020 could be particularly useful for farmers who have been repeat victims of rural crime and are seeking another way to deter thieves who are cashing in on the scarcity of agricultural equipment in Eastern Europe.  Around 70% of farmers are repeat victims, according to NFU.[ii]

Quad bikes and ATVs were top targets in 2022 and their theft figures alone rose by 34%, costing NFU Mutual £3m in claims.

HH Driveright’s managing director, Rebecca Hall, says, “Farmers need easy and effective solutions and the GM 2020 provides that.  For a very low cost, they can have a device fitted that will prevent the thieves from operating a tractor, which could lead to thieves moving on or abandoning it, if already stolen. With the ability to also track where the machinery is, there is a double means of trying to secure the return of the stolen items.  That can be crucial for livelihoods, as equipment cannot be replaced overnight and a shortage in supply could lead to considerable farm downtime, until new equipment can be secured.”

The cost of using the GM 2020 on a quad bike, ATV or tractor, would be from £4.50 per month, per vehicle.  With winter nights giving thieves more opportunities than ever to work under cover and steal farm equipment, it could be time to find out more.  Call HH Driveright on 01937 830 144.                                                                                               

[i] https://www.politico.eu/article/farm-machinery-gps-theft-uk-rural-crime-ukraine-russia-war-sanctions/

[ii] https://www.nfuonline.com/updates-and-information/cost-of-rural-crime-up-by-9m-amid-huge-rise-in-machinery-theft/

Ends

Editors notes

HH Driveright is an award-winning vehicle security and compliance specialist, with exciting and advanced solutions for van drivers, caravan owners and car drivers wishing to protect their vehicles, livelihood and reputation. It won the 'Keeping Your Show on the Road' award at the 2022 Logistics UK Van Awards and is continually finding ways to achieve that goal, to keep vehicles and their drivers or owners safe and protected.