TWO men have been arrested after police recovered two quadbikes stolen from farms in Cumbria, as efforts continue to deter rural crime.

Police received a report from an off-duty officer just after 9.30pm on Wednesday night of a suspicious vehicle carrying two quadbikes.

Officers quickly flooded the area looking to locate the vehicle and swiftly stopped it just after 9:40pm on Northside Road, Workington.

A 31-year-old man from Pontefract was arrested on suspicion of receiving stolen goods and remains in police custody.

Officers made a further arrest yesterday (November 3) of a 32-year-old man from Workington on suspicion of burglary and he remains in custody.

The two quadbikes recovered are believed to be those stolen from two farms reported earlier in the day from farms in the Keswick area.

Cumbria Police say they will act upon information provided and target those who commit crime in rural communities.

Detectives charged two men on Tuesday (Nov 1) in an unrelated incident with handling stolen goods. Both were remanded in custody.

Cumbria Police work closely with partner agencies such the National Farmers Union to support rural communities.

It is also important that everyone takes preventative measures to stop further crimes from occurring.

Detective Inspector Calvin Greaves said: “This type of crime disrupts our communities and adversely affects the local economy.

“As well as reporting incidents such as suspicious vehicles carrying quadbikes or persons it’s important that simple and basic steps are taken to protect your property such as ensuring outbuildings are locked and that tools and machinery are kept out of sight.

“Installing tracking devices to property is also a great security measure and can help significantly within an investigation to locate the property. Markings or data tags are also really helpful so we can identify who the items belong to if found.

“We have police community support officers specially trained to undertake crime prevention surveys in rural locations. Farmers should book a survey now via 101 or contact us via the online reporting form.

"We will not tolerate anyone who seeks to commit such offences and we work closely with neighbouring police forces to ensure we are able to act quickly if information suggests that criminals from outside our county are targeting the area."

NFU Cumbria County Chairman Ian Bowness said: “Sadly it is clear machinery and fuel theft is back on the rise, with farms being targeted.

“Rural crime has huge financial implications for farm businesses, and it also leaves farming families feeling vulnerable, intimidated, and in some cases directly threatened. This all comes at a time when the industry is already facing numerous other pressures, not least soaring production costs and challenging weather conditions.

“Thankfully, Cumbrian police officers know what to look out for and I’m grateful to the off-duty officer who spotted this crime in progress.

“I’d urge all farmers in the county to take the necessary precautions to prevent machinery theft impacting farm businesses, both financially and emotionally.”

Steps farmers can take to prevent machinery theft happening on their land:

•             Where possible, vehicles should be housed in a lockable garage or building, ideally with security lighting installed to the perimeter.

•             Vehicles should always be locked when not in use, with the keys kept hidden and locked away in a secure location.

•             Keep recordings or photographs of serial numbers and vehicles as these can be crucial in recovery, should the worst happen.

•             Invest in a bespoke quad security device or a quality padlock and chain.

•             Never leave your keys in the ignition, even if you only briefly leave your ATV unattended.

•             Keep gates to yards closed as open gates can be an open invitation to thieves.

•             Mark machinery with DNA marking devices and SmartWater tools.

•             Sign up to CESAR, an agricultural equipment registration scheme, which increases the chance of recovering stolen goods by helping police identify stolen machinery.

•             Make sure the Vehicle Identification Number is etched on windows.

•             Install immobilisers, chip keys and trackers as these are a simple way to deter criminals or track vehicles and can be fitted easily by an experienced agricultural engineer.

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