Local Community And Rural Arson Security Tips

RURAL ARSON

Rural businesses have many sensitive potential arson locations.

1 Hay and straw should be removed from fields as soon as possible after harvesting.

2 Hay and straw should be stored: - separately from other buildings, particularly those housing

fuels, agrochemicals and machinery - in stacks of reasonable size, spaced at least 10 metres

apart, separately from livestock housing

3 Petrol, diesel and other fuels should be stored in secure areas and storage tank outlets should be padlocked.

4 Fertilisers and pesticides should be kept under lock and key. The Health & Safety Executive can provide further advice on the storage and transportation of fertilisers, particularly

ammonium nitrate.

5 Refuse should be disposed of safely and on a regular basis.

LOCAL COMMUNITY

1 A strong sense of community still exits in rural locations. Join a ‘Rural’ or ‘Neighbourhood Watch Scheme’ to share information. Find out who the local Police contact is for your area.

2 If you have a suspicious caller at your business, record the vehicle registration number, descriptions of the persons and report this to the Police.

Check here for Rural Security and Equestrian Security tips and offers.

More rural and agricultural security tips.

Historically, many farm buildings were built for storage, not for rural security. Now they need to be secure as well as to provide cover.

Put yourself in the place of a thief; inspect your buildings and upgrade your storage to reflect the value of the property stored in it.

Fit high quality locks. Ensure the fabric of the building is secure. Seek advice from a Police Crime Prevention Officer.

Add to indoor security by installing sensors with audible alarms. Display signs to show you have alarms installed.

Consider ~Farm CCTV.

Store all your property indoors when not in use.

Keep all doors locked, except when the building or office is in use and there is someone present.

If your building shell is poor, use secondary secure storage such as a container.

Tips on keeping your rural or agricultural business safe.

Our ancestors had full control over entry and exit to their castles.

They achieved this by having a combined entry and exit point

using gates, watch towers, moats, walls and guards.

3 Look closely at the perimeter of your property, remove all

gates and entrances that you no longer use.

3 Plant thorn hedges with deep ditches and bunds.

3 Change the layout of your business to establish a single

entrance and exit.

3 Place a gate at the public end of your entrance to make it

less inviting.

3 Place a second inner gate at the private end of the entrance

to your property.

3 Invert and cap gate hinges so that gates cannot be lifted off,

or use good padlocks with covers so they cannot be cut off.

Also, ensure all fixing bolts cannot be removed.

3 If a gate is not being used for a lengthy period, place a

temporary obstruction in front of it so it cannot be opened or

used for parking or a rubbish tip.

3 Use locking posts or temporary obstructions to control large

openings to yards.

3 Cattle grids should be removable and locked out of position

when not in use.

3 Place CCTV cameras at the inner gate to record registered numbers

of vehicles and the faces of drivers. Place CCTV signs.

3 Install sensor controlled ‘dusk to dawn’ security lights to

alert you to visitors.

3 Install an infra red device at the inner gate which will sound

an alarm to alert you to visitors.

3 Join a ‘Watch’ scheme, obtain signs from the Police and

place them on gates.

3 Place signs saying “We do not buy from calling sales persons

If you want information, advice or product to help beef up your rural or equestrian security arrangements follow the link.

Wiltshire police team launch initiative for rural areas

POLICE have launched a new website aimed at helping horse owners and equestrian enthusiasts to tackle equine and rural crime and help improve rural and equestrian security.
Wiltshire Horsewatch at www.wiltshirehorsewatch.co.uk is the equine version of Neighbourhood Watch.
The scheme’s aim is to help improve equine and property security by connecting horse owners and local people, and alerting them to any suspicious reported activity or crimes in progress by means of SMS text message or e-mail alerts.
Wiltshire Horsewatch also offers valuable crime prevention advice and a range of free services including tack marking and saddle stamping.
The Horsewatch scheme is part of a national approach to tackling equine related crime and it was first set up in this area in 2009 by Wiltshire Police’s dedicated Rural Crime Team (RCT).
Police Community Support Officer John Bordiss who works on the RCT said: “This scheme is about horse owners working in partnership with the police to help prevent and reduce equine, rural and agricultural crime. As part of the National Horsewatch Alliance, information of criminal or suspicious activity is recorded across the counties allowing a broad distribution of knowledge to be shared and acted upon.
“The theft of a horse or property is soul destroying. It’s not just the financial loss but ultimately the emotional distress caused. Wiltshire Horsewatch has seen some fantastic results over the past three years and it is superb to see so many new people signing up to the scheme and getting involved.”
Wiltshire Horsewatch is a non-profit making scheme and membership is free. It is open to individual horse owners, large professional competition and business yards, and all equestrian enthusiasts.
Members receive regular updates on county wide equine related thefts and suspicious incidents, and timely alerts via text message and e-mail about potential threats, plus advice on horse and yard security, and free tack marking sessions.
To sign up to the scheme, visit the website www.wiltshirehorsewatch.co.uk