The theft of equipment and tools was once a rare occurrence in rural
areas and an occasional cost of doing business in the country. But no
more. Though crime in the country still happens far less often than in
metropolitan areas, theft and vandalism occur more now than in the past.
Rural residents are five times more likely to be the victims of theft
than their relatives were in the 1960s.
Equipment and tool theft today are a $1-billion-a-year business in rural
areas.
No security plan can guarantee against theft. But landowners certainly
can make things a lot harder for thieves with something called
Agricultural Zone Security. This is nothing more than logically placed
physical safeguards� �� ��locks, chains, lighting, alarms and ways to shape
your landscaping to deter theft.
Agricultural Zone Security includes the following three zones:
Zone 1 Defining your overall security effort.
Post warning signs all around your property.
Let thieves know there are alarm systems and watchdogs.
Mark equipment and tools.
Mount gates to good, strong cornerposts. Secure gates with strong chains and locks.
Use chain-link fencing topped with a strand of barbed wire. Chain link is
not practical for use around an entire acreage. But it can be used to
enclose chemical, grain and equipment storage areas.
Zone 2 Addressing your security needs in remote areas.
For Equipment:
Place equipment left overnight in a remote area within sight of a
neighbor, and let that person know the equipment is there.
Use hills or stands of trees to hide equipment from the view of nearby roads.
Enhance natural barriers. Build berms along exposed
boundaries or on one bank of a drainage ditch. Dig ditches where none
exist. These are land forms that make it difficult to move equipment.
Sink barriers of railroad ties or utility poles into concrete in
unfenced areas that have natural exits.
Remove equipment keys. Don't
hide the keys on the equipment. Practiced thieves know all of the hiding
places.
Disable the machinery, including stationary equipment such as
grain augers.
Lower implements to the ground to prevent towing. But
keep the transport wheels in contact with the ground to frustrate tire
theft.
Chain groups of equipment together and to objects such as trees.
Use lockable battery cases.
Install locking fuel caps.
Use hitch locks.
For Livestock:
Mark all animals for identification.
Maintain complete animal records.
Check livestock fences and gates for signs
of cuts, breaks and rewiring.
Secure loading chutes.
For Timber:
Maintain records of your most valuable trees.
Mark valuable trees with paint or an identification number.
Check out unexplained chain-saw noises.
Zone 3 Dealing with the center work areas of your property. These areas
includes barns, workshops, storage areas and other outbuildings.
Consult with a security expert or local law enforcement about
lighting, sensor, alarm and security camera needs.
Make sure all exterior doors have solid core construction and are at least 13/4 inches
thick. Metal doors are a good alternative.
Mount hinges to the interior of the buildings. Bolt hinges on the outside into place and
make sure they have nonremovable pins.
Install 3-inch screws into the center hole of each hinge leaf.
Use heavy-duty striker plates with 3-inch screws.
Install lockable covers for cutoff valves and nozzles on fuel tanks and pumps.
Secure overhead doors by drilling a hole in the track just above the roller and inserting a heavy-duty
lock.