Farmers invited to event to use new technology system to stop rural crime.

The newly-formed Northumberland Partnership Against Rural Crime (NPARC) has teamed up with NFU Mutual and SelectaDNA to roll out the new marking system at Hexham Auction Mart on Tuesday, June 13

The forensic DNA marking kit will be used to tag agricultural machinery, tools and equipment as part of Northumbria’s ongoing fight against rural crime.

Farmers and rural communities will be invited to attend the event to have their all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), trailers and other agricultural equipment marked with an invisible DNA code.

The move will allow police to spot any stolen marked property that thieves may be attempting to sell on – and identify its rightful owner.

Sergeant Calum Meikle, of Northumbria Police, said: “Protecting our rural communities is a priority and this is a significant boost in our ongoing fight against rural crime.

“We are inviting our rural communities to come to the event in Hexham next week with any ATVs, quad bikes, trailers and other valuable equipment that could be the target of thieves.

“We will then be able to mark their equipment with a specialist unique invisible code which will help us identify stolen property, return it to the owners and importantly take swift action against thieves preying on our rural communities.

“Through NPARC we have big plans in the pipeline over the coming months to maintain the positive momentum as we look to detect and prevent rural crime.

“We are also absolutely delighted to have recently welcomed our newest Rural Crime Volunteers, a team of rural residents who feed directly into us about anything that looks unusual. They do an absolutely amazing job and we are so fortunate to have them.”

Northumbria Police and Crime Commissioner Kim McGuinness adds: “As well as fighting and preventing crime, it’s important that we are helping farmers and their families to better protect themselves from being targeted by criminals too.
"Anything that helps us win the battle against farm machinery thefts is worth investing in and promoting across our rural communities.
"This is just one of a range of collaborative initiatives and policing operations being rolled out across Northumberland as part of determined efforts to deter criminal activity and I will continue to monitor progress.”