A farm property marking scheme has proved so successful at reducing rural crime in areas of Scotland that it could be rolled out to other regions.
Police Scotland has reported that a trial of SelectaDNA marking on South Lanarkshire farms was a huge success, with repeat thefts previously targeted by thieves almost eliminated.
The scheme uses a forensic liquid with a DNA code which can be ‘read’ by police to identify property suspected of being stolen.
It has been shown to both deter thieves and aid recovery of stolen machinery and tools.
NFU Mutual initially funded the SelectaDNA kits for the trial and is now providing an additional £2,000 for the roll-out, taking its total funding up to £6,000.
This investment is part of the rural insurer’s funding of more than £400,000 for rural crime initiatives across the UK.
It will enable Police Scotland to provide kits in areas which are suffering repeat rural thefts including the Scottish Borders, Ayrshire and Aberdeenshire.
NFU Mutual Scotland manager, Mark McBrearty said: “Rural crime is hugely disruptive to Scotland’s farming community, and we are determined to do all we can to stamp it out.
“We’re delighted that SelectaDNA marking is proving so effective at reducing thefts from farms and are backing the speedy roll-out of the scheme by providing additional kits for distributions to Scottish farms.
“Since Police Scotland set up SPARC five years ago to bring together all those involved in the fight against rural crime, we’ve put our full backing into the initiative.”
Farmers, crofters and landowners keen to protect their tools and vehicles with SelectaDNA can contact their local Partnership Against Rural Crime group on how to obtain a kit.
Police Inspector Alan Dron, Scotland’s National Rural Crime Coordinator, said that SelectaDNA was proving to be 'an excellent addition' to the force's tactics.
“We can deploy yet more kits quickly and in other parts of Scotland, where thieves would potentially target agricultural and forestry machinery, plant, quad bikes, other all-terrain vehicles and expensive tools.”
