TRAILERS, farm equipment, quads and even fuel are all part of the high value items sought be thieves who target rural Limerick farms but the public is being urged to fight back alongside the IFA, Garda and DoneDeal as part of a new initiative
With almost 30,000 farm related crime incidents having taken place since 2010, the CSO figures make for a shocking nationwide statistic.
However, a new campaign is now in train and being rolled out in Limerick, as well as 11 other counties, to urge the public to combat the problem of farm related crime and thefts.
The next most common occurrence is theft from outhouses or sheds, followed by burglary.
Jointly organised by Crimestoppers, the Irish Farmers Association, an Garda Síochána and DoneDeal the campaign is aiming to raise awareness among the public and in particular those in the farming community, of the issue of thefts from farms.
This initiative follows the joint campaign run by Crimestoppers and the IFA last year to combat livestock theft.
Farmers are being reminded to sign up to the TheftStop scheme (www.theftstop.ie). The joint initiative by the IFA and An Garda Síochána provides members with a unique Security I.D. Members can then mark their machinery and equipment with this I.D and upload an image of the item to the TheftStop site. Marked and branded items are significantly less attractive to criminals to steal as they’ll be more easily recognisable by the public and harder to sell on.
Information on any suspicious activity can be given anonymously to the Crimestoppers confidential telephone service by calling 1800 25 00 25. Alternatively, information can be provided to your local Garda station.
Crimestoppers said that they provide a fully confidential means for every citizen to report crime, without fear of recrimination.
“The service consistently elicits very valuable information to assist investigations in both rural and urban Ireland.We hope this joint campaign will help rural dwellers to avoid becoming victims of farm related crime and thefts.”
If you have any information in relation to farm related crime, you can contact your local Garda Station or Crimestoppers on 1800 25 00 25. Your call to Crimestoppers is free and anonymous and you might receive a reward for information.
