If the security industry was looking for an opportunity to increase business, all they need do is look at rural and remote areas of the UK, writes our regular contributor Jim Gannon, pictured.
The long-standing myth is that crime in volume only exists in towns and cities, and that rural and remote areas are virtually crime-free areas in which to live and work. While problems lie in officially defining what is a rural area, it can in fact range from settlements on the fringes of towns to remote farms and communities many miles from the nearest urban settlement. New vulnerablities are exposed mainly by foreign and particularly East European nationals who see our national infrastructure as an easy target for rich pickings. This sets new challenges. The potential impact of such crime goes well beyond the farm gate and involves schools, farms, factories, vehicles and livestock.<br> <br>New research by one of the UK’s largest rural insurers NFU Mutual indicates that rural crime increased again in 2010, led by a sharp increase in the theft of expensive tractors. According to their claims data, theft cost the farming industry £42.2m in 2009, which was over a third higher than the estimated cost of £30.28m, reported in 2008. Tractors and farm machinery stolen ‘to order’ often for immediate export from UK channel ports to destinations which include Africa,Eastern Europe and the Middle East, seems to be causing owners,insurers and the police alike the biggest headache. Owners, because long delays in receiving replacement vehicles and equipment bring operational difficulties; insurers because of the sheer cost of repeated pay-outs; and the police who are reeling under the enforced cutbacks, which affect on the number of officers they have in the front line, and back room support staff.<br><br>NFU Mutual’s national survey is based on the claims experience of its 300 branch offices across the UK. Some 70 per cent of its branches reported rural crime in their area had increased while 23pc stated it had remained the same as in 2009. When asked if the crimes were opportunistic or planned 71pc of branches said they were planned, 17pc said opportunistic and 12pc a mixture of both. One of the most interesting facts however was that 64 per cent of those surveyed believed that better security measures was the key to reducing rural crime whilst only 18pc believed a greater police presence would make a difference.<br><br>Door opener <br>I see this as a potential door opener for the security industry as a whole, especially as rural crime is going to continue to increase across the UK unless something different is done. John Kenny the Chief Claims Manager for the Mutual said: “It’s disappointing to see that rural crime is on the increase and that rural homes and businesses have become a source of rich pickings for thieves. This year’s survey highlights the importance of good security measures and vigilence in the battle against rural crime." With a significant increase in reported rural crime over four successive years, the survey also highlighted emerging trends, demonstrating the changing nature of crime, from sporadic opportunistic theft, to highly organised theft relying on detailed surveillance and planning. Again I see this as a clear signal for our industry to step up to the mark and take rural crime on, because the general crime trend has already been identified by NFU Mutual and broken down into key areas on which our industry can focus.<br><br>Strip and ship <br>Vehicles and machinery are taken from farms, fields, driveways, car parks,businesses and quickly stored in warehouses where they are frequently stripped down to their component parts and shipped to Eastern Europe and East Africa to meet the demand for parts and equipment. While this covers a wide scope of targets, Land Rovers continue to be a main target, some being stripped of parts when parked up during use. Box trailers are also a keen target.<br><br>Lunchtime looters <br>Thieves are pouncing when farm staff and gardeners leave their work areas for lunch, seeking out unlocked workshops, garages and sheds for chain saws,hedge trimmers, power tools and all manner of equipment. Where criminals suspect tractors, quad bikes, motorcycles, 4 x 4s and machinery are fitted with tracker devices they will often hide them in remote areas for up to a week to see if the police turn up. I heard last month of three expensive tractors found hidden in a disused quarry in Rutland by some ‘off roaders’, who informed the police, thus spoiling one set of criminals’ day. According to the Mutual one of the most popular disposal routes is the internet auction sites and the old favourite, car boot sales. This is particularly favoured for power tools and riding tack and equipment. Parents looking for bargains in riding gear for their little princesses<br>scan auction websites, trying to keep start up costs down.<br><br>Scrap metal wars<br>With the price of aluminium, steel, copper and other metal going through the roof, is it any wonder that criminals target remote locations. Anything now appears to be a legitimate target from homes to schools, churches, factories,railways, mobile phone transmitting masts and any place where copper able is stored on reels especially in poorly protected stores. These thieves often put themselves in extreme danger by cutting things like copper wire from live circuits. Following the recent 70 per cent hike in heating fuel costs, a surge in reported fuel theft has naturally increased. While red diesel has always been a target, heating fuel oil has now joined the list and there have been cases where vehicles delivering fuel have been followed and the delivery recipients have been targeted within 24 hours of being topped up. With over 1.7m households in the UK using heating oil and few are reported as being fitted with any meaningful security device, the market appears open for growth.<br><br>Making hay <br>From the Association of Vehicle Crime Intelligence Service (AVCIS) Detective Chief Insp Mark Hopper warned of organised crime gangs going after top of the range farm equipment, tractors and utility vehicles, then smuggled abroad for profit. Equipment often worth more than £100k is often perceived, from a criminal’s perspective, as being low risk, high reward. DCI Hopper urged owners to be vigilent. According to AVCIS, Kent is the county hit most with more than 100 expensive tractors stolen, followed by North Yorkshire,Thames Valley and Norfolk. <br><br>Roadworks and building sites <br>Whilst the rural environment has been a target, one cannot ignore the problems being experienced with the theft of vehicles,machinery,building equipment and materials from roadworks and building sites across the country. How often have you driven up to a set of malfunctioning traffic lights put out of action because someone has simply nicked the generator.<br><br>Competition <br>While competition has always been healthy in our industry it is now fierce and never more so than now. It’s about survival. Things will no doubt get tougher for most of you but those who do come out of it will be stronger and more ‘fit for purpose’. In recent years we have witnessed the emergence of new players, many more innovative and productive than their competitors. With labour costs high everywhere in the UK, companies have to compete successfully and nothing less than excellent will do. The only way to do this is by businesses working with the customer and supplier base to meet and exceed the customer expectations constantly. This philosophy was well practised by my last employer, The Unipart Group Of Companies, who finely tuned this culture and made it a ‘marketing tool’, to create revenue as well as securing the company’s future. They advocated that traditional adversarial relationships between customers and suppliers, that typified industry, no longer were adequate. The security industry should take note of this. We need to be constantly looking at the numerous avenues of opportunity and other sectors in adversity like rural communities if we want to harvest growth.
About the NFU Mutual survey – visit –
