Fury as Labour won’t stop 4×4 theft in its tracks | Politics | News
Rural campaigners fear the Labor Government will refuse to take a radical stance against the scourge of farm theft by requiring new off-road vehicles such as quads and quadricycles to be fitted with immobilisers.
There is also significant frustration that much equipment, from tractors to drills, chainsaws to sprayers, will not be marked with unique forensic identifiers.
Labor has been accused of undermining one of the Conservatives’ best chances of “tackling rural crime” by failing to take advantage of new powers that would require new equipment to meet strict anti-burglary standards.
David Bean, of the Countryside Alliance, said the organization was “hugely disappointed by the Government’s weak and hesitant response”.
The report claims that “ministers removed from the law the most effective measure to prevent the theft of vital agricultural machinery.”
Police minister Sarah Jones has confirmed that the Government will not include immobilizer requirements for all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) in new regulations. ATVs and GPS systems will be marked to deter thieves, but there is anger that many other equipment will not have these security measures.
The Conservatives claim tool thefts occur every 21 minutes in the UK and say the Government “should be supporting the police and the farming community rather than backing down on criminals”.
Conservative MP Greg Smith, who secured the amendment giving the government new powers to tackle farm theft in 2023, said: “This is an inexcusable disappointment for Labour. All they had to do was move a simple legal document, yet they chose to water down the entire law and essentially surrender to the criminals who have wrought such devastation on our farms and rural businesses.”
“Hard-working police officers were clear that the measures in this Bill would make a huge difference, but Labor chose to fail them and victims.”
Shadow policing minister Matt Vickers said: “Labour’s decision shows once again that they do not understand the countryside. “The theft of this equipment could disrupt lives, preventing people from working and supporting their families.
“Farmers deserve to be protected”
A Home Office spokesman said: “Equipment theft hits farmers and rural communities hard – not only property is lost but livelihoods are shattered. “These changes will require new off-road vehicles and GPS units to be properly marked and recorded in a secure database, providing police with a vital tool to return stolen equipment to victims.
“This is a major step forward in protecting rural assets and we will continue to explore options to mandate the fitment of immobilisers.”
The government argues that it would be impractical to require appliances to be marked by a retailer and placed on the database. He says he is not pushing for immobilizer requirements on ATVs out of concern for compliance with regulations to ensure vehicle safety.
But shadow farming minister Robbie Moore said: “Rural crime costs millions every year and the Equipment Theft Act is designed to stop this at the source. Labor’s choice to remove immobilisers and weaken the rules is a slap in the face to every farmer who has had their kit stolen.”
