Farmers warned to protect quad bikes at lambing time

Quad bike theft is on the rise, warns rural insurer NFU Mutual, and farmers are advised to take extra caution to protect ATVs during lambing season.

The latest figures show that quad bike thefts totaled £2.8m in 2022 – up 26% on the previous year – and that a shortage of new machines has caused thefts to continue to soar this year.

Advice to farmers at lambing time is to ramp up security measures. DC Chris Piggott, from the National Rural Crime Unit, said: “Tracking, immobilisation and security marking are the most effective measures against quad theft as they deter thieves and make it easier for police to catch the gangs behind these crimes.”

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He also urges farmers to carry out an HPI check when buying used vehicles, to prevent purchasing a stolen one.

Other advice from NFU Mutual includes:

• Always remove keys and keep them stored securely, away from the vehicle
• When not in use, keep quads and ATVs locked up and out of sight
• Install tracking devices and immobilisers to make it easier for police to recover stolen vehicles – most modern tracking devices are GPS enabled, with alarms/alerts that will send a message informing you if your machine is being tampered with
• Use a steering brake/lock, ground anchor or wheel clamp when not in use
• Know what you own – keep records of serial numbers for all vehicles and machines
• When buying a new quad, ask for a chipped key and immobilisation system.