By Olivia Condous
Farmers are being urged to increase property security after reports of a spike in farm related thefts in recent months.
New data from the Crime Statistics Agency reported livestock theft rose by 12.6 per cent and diesel theft rose by 20 per cent on farms statewide.
Victoria Police will partner with Crime Stoppers in the ‘Shut Out Farm Crime’ campaign to combat the issue.
Victoria Police Farm Crime Coordination Unit Inspector Karl Curran said the campaign spread awareness of an issue that was severely underreported.
“The more information and reports we receive the more we are able to identify crime trends and put resources into these areas,” Mr Curran said.
Farm Crime Liaison Officer for the Moorabool region Senior Constable Simon Barker said an increase in livestock and fuel prices could lead to more crimes in the area.
“I would envisage that if the price of diesel continues to increase it will become more of a problem,” Constable Barker said.
“Livestock prices have also increased, prime lambs have quadrupled in price, so they’re a commodity now and people may want to steal them,”
“In the past, farmers may have been less likely to report theft as a loss of ten or so livestock may not have been a large financial loss,” he said.
Constable Barker encouraged farmers who have been the victim of a crime to reach out to Crime Stoppers or speak to someone at their local police station.
Crime Stoppers will offer free farm gate security signs, and stickers displaying information about how to report information at selected agricultural events to assist farmers with security improvements.
Inspector Curran encouraged Victorian farmers to make use of these offers in order to protect their farms.
“They’re simple measures but can go a long way to discouraging farm crime and its devastating effects on local communities,” he said.
Anyone with information about farm crime is urged to make an anonymous report to Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or crimestoppersvic.com.au.
