Moves to target trailer thieves

3:37pm Wednesday 16th April 2008

A major security initiative to curb thefts of livestock trailers from farmyards and marts is being launched in Pembrokeshire this month.

Farmers will get the opportunity to have their trailers marked with their postcodes. The letters and numbers, painted on the roof using special paint, will be big enough to be identified from the air.

PC Max Bevan, who is running the initiative on behalf of the Pembrokeshire Community Safety Partnership, said thefts of agricultural equipment had become more common. Last year there were 170 tractors stolen nationally, a rise of 30 on the previous year.

"We are encouraging farmers to become more security conscious, post coding is one of those measures," said PC Bevan.

The police held a similar initiative some years ago when 100 trailers were marked over four days.

It helped to recover at least one trailer stolen from a livestock mart.

"The farmer notified us and we tracked his trailer from the air using the police helicopter to a farm where we found two other trailers, all of which were stolen," PC Bevan added.

But post coding is mainly regarded as a deterrent. The paint cannot be removed and any attempts to do so will cause permanent damage.

"Post coding deters thieves because they know the trailers can easily be identified," said PC Bevan.

The Community Safety Partnership is repeating the exercise following demand from farmers.

The operation will take place at Brithdir Hall at the County Showground, Haverfordwest, on Monday and Tuesday, April 21st and 22nd, from 8am to 5pm. If demand dictates, more days will be scheduled.

"We will start on a first come first served basis. What we want to avoid is clients booking later in the week and having to arrange a day specifically for them,'' said PC Bevan. Post coding will cost £35 a trailer and will take around 45 minutes.

There will be a facility for dropping off trailers on the night of Sunday, April 20th, between 6pm and 8pm and for collecting on Monday up until 7pm.

Bookings will be co-ordinated by the Narberth office of the NFU, 01834 861944.