Police chief to launch Farm Watch

SUSSEX Police Chief Constable Martin Richards will be at the South of England Showground in Ardingly tomorrow (Tuesday November 24) to launch Farm Watch, a partnership between the police and the farming community to fight rural crime.
Farm Watch has been operating in parts of Sussex since 2003 and Mr Richards and representatives from the rural community will be describing its expansion it as a countywide initiative. The event starts at midday and is open to the public. The launch includes a new and improved website – www.sussex.police.uk/farmwatch - where Farm Watch members can share crime-related information and receive crime prevention advice. They can also sign up to a text alert service. Other services offered by Farm Watch include advice from crime prevention officers on property security and a property marking scheme to make it harder for thieves to dispose of stolen goods. The key aim is to stress the importance of vigilance and communication – both within rural and farming communities and between rural communities and Sussex Police. Mr Richards said: "I'd encourage farmers, or any members of the rural community who feel they may benefit, to sign up to Farm Watch as soon as possible. They can sign up at the launch event in Ardingly or, if they can't make it to the event, simply by visiting the Farm Watch website. "A recent Farm Watch success story is the recovery of a significant amount of stolen saddles, tack, stone garden ornaments and furniture following search warrants obtained by Sussex Police. As a result of the searches at two properties in Hampshire and Surrey, which involved 30 officers, additional searches at other addresses were conducted, resulting in the seizure of further suspected stolen property. Four arrests were made and officers are in the process of repatriating the property with its rightful owners

(Reproduced from the Littlehampton Gazette, 24th November)

GARDIEN TIP: Property marking is a cheap, effective way of making it easier for the police to return property to its rightful owner. See http://www.garden-security.co.uk/retrieval.aspx?sec=pm. Security of sheds and outbuildings should also be strengthened, see http://www.garden-security.co.uk/shed-outbuilding-security.aspx