Sussex Police & Crime Commissioner (PCC) Katy Bourne has part-funded 1,000 forensic marking kits, for farmers and tradespeople to mark their equipment. The National Farmers’ Union too paid towards the kits from the manufacturer SelectaDNA. The kits contain a liquid made up of a unique synthetic DNA code and thousands of microscopic identification dots. Once applied to items, the liquid dries clear and can be identified through ultraviolet light and under microscopes. Police can log each marked tool or piece of equipment in a register, so that, if marked items are stolen and recovered, police can identify them and return them to the owner.
The kits can mark up to 50 pieces of equipment and usually cost around £60 each. However with the funding from the PCC and the NFU, Sussex Police’s Rural Crime Team are distributing the kits free to county farmers, besides, importantly, supplying and installing signage, to say that a site’s equipment and vehicles have been protectively marked, and deter thieves. In North Yorkshire, police report marked reductions in theft after a similar deployment. In Sussex, a trial of the kits in Rother district also saw a reduction in burglary. Katy Bourne said: “Stolen machinery and vehicles are not easy or cheap to replace and thefts can mean that farmers are unable to plant, harvest and maintain crops and manage livestock. With rural crime costing the UK over £50m a year, it was clear we needed to do more to protect Sussex farmers.
“Having previously commissioned a limited rollout of the kits in East Sussex with positive results, I am glad to be able to do this on a much larger scale, working closely with the NFU and Sussex Police’s dedicated Rural Crime Team. It is proven that marking and signage has a deterrent effect as it not only improves the chances of farmers being re-united with their stolen property but also increases the odds of criminals actually being convicted.
“In the coming months, I look forward to hearing how many farms across our county have been given SelectaDNA kits for free and I will work closely with the Chief Constable to scrutinize statistics of rural theft in Sussex. Hopefully, with this modern, forensic equipment marking technology, we will see greater reductions in rural crime.”
NFU West Sussex Chair Andrew Strong, who farms near Haywards Heath, said: “Equipment theft continues to be a big problem for farmers and growers across Sussex, and across the country, so a scheme like this is very much-needed.
“The reduction in theft and burglary in north Yorkshire, as a result of using these specialist kits, is hugely impressive. We were very impressed by what we saw at the demonstration of the specialist kits with Sussex Police last week and feel confident this will make a real impact.
“We are extremely grateful to Sussex Police and Crime Commissioner Katy Bourne and her team for their very generous funding towards this. The NFU and the farming community has a very positive relationship with the PCC and Sussex Police’s Rural Crime Team and this is another great example of us all working together.”
The NFU meanwhile is calling on UK Government to implement clear and practical recommendations to tackle rural crime.
