Farm406

Deterrence Find ways to discourage thieves from striking your place. Lighting often dissuades would-be thieves. Use dusk-to-dawn lights, lighting on timers, or lights with motion detectors. Consider positioning a camera to view license plates on vehicles entering your property. A watch dog is a good deterrent. Or use recordings of dogs barking. Neighbors are often aware of unfamiliar vehicles and noises and are willing to be vigilant for others. Put guards over shop windows and install door hinges on the inside. Park equipment out of view from the road. Do a background check on all applicants during the hiring process. Delay Find ways to delay access to your property and assets. Thieves tend to grab those things that are easy targets and can be thrown into the trunk of a car or the back of a pickup. Add gates and cables across entrances and fences around assets. Remove keys from vehicles and self-propelled equipment and lock the doors. One key will fit many pieces of machinery. Leaving a key in a machine makes not only one piece of equipment vulnerable but several. Chemicals are like cash to thieves. Lock them up. Detection Secure areas where tools are stored. Often farmers will go weeks without realizing that something has been taken, so it's a good idea to keep tools in their place so that it is noticeable when they are missing. Keep a written inventory of tools and equipment, and also place an identifiable mark on each piece. Enter into the FBI ID program through your local sheriff's office. • A major portion of this information comes from a document prepared by the Pennsylvania State Extension Program The Three D's to Reducing Rural Crime.

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