Neighbourhood officers across Northumberland are encouraging farmers and rural communities to take extra steps to secure their property – especially around quad bikes.

The warning comes after a red and black Honda quad bike was stolen from a farm in Allenheads. It is believed that a vehicle or trailer may have been involved in the theft, overnight on Saturday-Sunday (March 30-31).

Neighbourhood Inspector Pam Bridges, of Northumbria Police, said: “We know quad bikes are an essential part of farming, especially around lambing season, but there are simple steps that people can take to help protect their property and machinery from potential thieves.

“It’s also important for homeowners to keep their property safe and secure by locking windows and doors so that keys can’t be taken for these vehicles.

“These types of items are expensive to replace and can cause significant financial and emotional stress for the victims. We do all we can to tackle these types of crimes but preventive measures can have a huge benefit.”

Steps to keeping property safe can include:

• Securing or immobilising vehicles and equipment when not in use and removing keys from unattended cars, tractors and quad bikes.
• Avoid leaving machinery or quad bikes in fields, particularly near roads.
• Keeping quad bikes and trailers in secure outbuildings. If these vehicles are kept outside they should be put behind locked gates.
• Using ground anchor chains with anchor plates where possible.
• Marking trailers, quad bikes, horseboxes and tools with your postcode or farm name.
• Recording serial/chassis numbers and photograph them in case stolen.
• Fitting a tracker device or immobiliser to your vehicles.
• Listing your tools, together with serial numbers, and registering these on immobilise.com

Inspector Bridges goes on to say: “The public are always fantastic at reporting suspicious activity to us which helps our officers track offenders and prevent crime. We also work closely with groups like Farmwatch to police issues and address concerns from communities.

“Taking precautions like these can help stop thieves in their tracks.”

Anyone who has information which may be beneficial to officers is asked to get in touch with police via 101 and quoting reference number 041249F/19, online on our website www.northumbria.police.uk, or by dropping into their local station.