A quad bike worth £6,000 stolen from a North Yorkshire farm has been recovered thanks to a simple tracker device.
Police located the Honda Fourtrax quad and arrested the suspect within hours of the theft.
The incident happened at 2pm on Tuesday (24 September), when a quad bike was stolen from a farm in the Hambleton district, near Stokesley.
The vehicle had been fitted with a tracker device by the farmer owner.
Later that evening, officers from North Yorkshire Police’s Rural Taskforce traced the quad to a premises in the Redcar area.
A 35-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of the theft of the vehicle. He remains in custody at this time.
The quad has been recovered, and will be returned to the farmer – enquiries into the theft are ongoing.
North Yorkshire Police is urging all quad bike owners to take extra precautions to secure their vehicles.
It comes as farmers were encouraged earlier this year to add trackers to Land Rovers following a theft of the vehicle.
It was recovered by police in just 90 minutes thanks to the tracker.
Farm vehicle crime prevention tips
• Always leave your vehicle locked and alarmed if possible
• Consider fitting an after-market approved immobiliser
• Park in a locked garage or other secure area if you have one, or in a well-lit open space if not
• Never leave the vehicle’s keys in the ignition, in the same outbuilding as the vehicle, or near your front door inside your home
• Be vigilant when using your vehicle for anyone taking an interest in it
• Consider fitting a transponder-based security marking system and tracker device
• Have the vehicle’s windows etched with the vehicle identification number
