Welsh farmer denied return of stolen tractor
© Debbie James A farmer wants the police to take more action to recover his stolen tractor after he was alerted that a man who bought it was attempting to register it with the DVLA.
Tegid Davies’ Ford 7610 Series 3 tractor was stolen from a shed at Llanarmon, Denbighshire, in 2019, but it was never recovered, despite the theft being circulated on the Police National Computer and a number of enquiries being conducted.
Mr Davies, a beef farmer from Llandegla, near Wrexham, was forced to claim for that loss through his insurer.
See also: Rural crime falls but farms still at risk from ‘slicker’ thieves
He had given up hope of being reunited with the tractor until he was notified that a new keeper was trying to register the vehicle with the DVLA – a man at an address in Malpas, Cheshire.
Ownership question
While Mr Davies wants his tractor back, it is understood that in cases like this the insurance company must come to an agreement with all parties regarding ownership of the stolen vehicle.
As there has been a payout to Mr Davies by the insurance company, the insurer now has a proprietary right to the vehicle.
Mr Davies is astounded that his tractor cannot be recovered when the police know where it is and is demanding action.
“What sort of message does this send out to criminals? A crime has been committed, the police know where my tractor is,” he said.
“Who is the loser in this job? It is me. I insure 20 vehicles and the farm and my premium has gone up.”
North Wales Police have declined to provide a statement on the incident as the investigation is active and enquiries are ongoing.
Counting the cost of crime
Latest figures on rural crime from NFU Mutual put the cost of agricultural vehicle theft at more than £9m, with Lincolnshire the worst-affected county, followed by Cambridgeshire, Essex and Suffolk.
Rebecca Davidson, rural affairs specialist at NFU Mutual, said that with demand for tractors high and used tractor prices rising, they were a target.
Farmers are therefore being urged to ramp up security, no matter what the age of the machine.
“We’re seeing sporadic patterns of tractor theft starting up again, particularly of models over five years old,” said Ms Davidson. “It is important to review security on older tractors.”
Measures such as Cesar security marking, tracking and immobilisation devices are recommended, as are parking vehicles out of sight, removing keys, locking yard gates, floodlighting and CCTV.
“Also, know what you own – keep records of serial numbers and photographs of your kit, including unique identifying features as this will aid police to recover your vehicle,” added Ms Davidson.
NFU Mutual advice on buying second-hand agricultural vehicles
- If the price seems too good to be true, it probably is – check the market value and establish the legitimate reason for a low price
- Check the seller’s contact details – address and telephone number – are valid
- Be suspicious of sellers offering to meet half-way at a layby or services
- Check important, identifiable features, such as serial numbers, haven’t been scratched away, for example, on trailers or quad ground frames
- Always check the documentation related to the machinery or vehicle