Preventing battery and fencing theft in Dorset

Dorset Police Rural Crime team recommended that people in our rural areas who use batteries and fencers make sure they mark battery and fencer units and make them distinctive, this can be done by making them a different colour or covering them with a postcode with UV paint or pens. The Rural Crime Team was set up following funding from the Dorset Police and Crime Commissioner, Martyn Underhill.

Author
PCSO Tom Balchin, Dorset Police Rural Crime Team - Rural Engagement Officer
Location
Dorset, England
Crime Type
Farm machinery, plant and vehicle theft
The problem
Theft of batteries and fencer units

Summary

We suggest that marking is done because it help police us to identify where stolen batteries have come from when being located. Without an identifying mark it’s hard to trace where stolen batteries have come from if we recover them.

There is also a new products available that enable people to lock away fencer units and a battery inside a metal box which electrifies this box making them harder to steal!

We suggest that fencer and battery units are kept out of sight of any footpaths or road side entrances. Battery’s and units can be buried inside a wooden box making it harder for them to be spotted and preventing the cold getting to the battery which will ruin it.

We also advise farmers and other people with old scrap battery’s that don’t work to take these to their local approved scrap yard for disposal and also they will then be paid for them. Leaving old batteries at rural premises is an invitation to people to come on to your land to ask to buy them while there they will be looking at what you have around.

If you see any suspicious people or vehicles around your land or building please let us know we want to hear from you this includes the persons looking for scrap or battery’s and any business cards they may hand you we want to know.

Please contact Dorset Police by:

If you would like any crime prevention advice for your farm, equine or rural premises, please email the team at ruralcrimeteam@dorset.pnn.police.uk

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