Rural Security

Rural security is a concern for those living in the beautiful countryside of Yorkshire and Lancashire. The NFU Rural crime report 2020 reported an increase of almost 9%  in rural crime compared with the previous year. Agricultural vehicle theft, Quad theft, Land rover defender theft and Livestock theft has all increased. According to the report, crimes such as fly tipping, livestock theft and dog attacks on farm animals all rose during the COVID lockdown period. The cost of rural crime in 2019 was a huge £54.3 million. Shockingly, North Yorkshire ranks 3rd in the top 30 worst affective counties, closely followed by Lancashire (6th) and West Yorkshire (12th). Together they amount to a cost of £5.4million, which is 10% of the cost of crime across the country. It’s not only farms and rural businesses that have suffered. Rural community groups have recently seen a spate of anti social behaviour and theft. What can those who live in these rural areas do to protect their homes and their livelihoods?

Rural security

Lock

Shut the door. Close the gate and lock up. Always remove keys from doors and vehicles not in use and lock up as much as possible. Use security gates to secure the entrance to your yard or driveway. Not only is this convenient for your own access, but they’re also harder for criminals to breach than a traditional gate. Crucially, anyone who is looking for an easy spot to fly tip will be put off by harder to access property. As will any criminals looking for an easy target.

Track

Specialist tracking devices are really useful to help to locate and recover a vehicle that does get stolen. CCTV can also be used as a tracker; cameras can see who has been on your property and where. Moreover, they can help to identify a criminal or give clues about an incident. Security cameras are also available which alert you to anyone arriving on your property.

Connect

It’s a good idea to get to know your local community, including your local policing rural crime team.  Many rural communities have formed watch groups – a sort of neighbourhood watch with a rural security focus. Many have Facebook or Whatsapp groups for immediate sharing of suspicious activity. One very successful local example of this is the fields of vision rural security group.

Technology

Rural security has been revolutionised by smart technology. Smart alarms can be operated remotely and send realtime notifications to activations. So if someone were to break into your home, office or outbuilding you would know about it straight away. Monitored alarm systems provide extra reassurance because they can call on police for back up if needed. CCTV with remote viewing means that you can view different areas of your property from home or away. Technology not only improve rural security but innovations such as lamb cam can help with the day to day running of your property. If you’re concerned about your security, why not book a free survey.  Our friendly knowledgeable surveyors are brilliant listeners and will design a system to meet your requirements. Email us on sales@keybury.co.uk or call 01535 661197.