Organised criminals stripped farmer’s Defender with “military precision”

Farmer Michael Skinner last year woke to find his Defender Utility 110, parked 20m away from his house, had been silently stripped of its parts overnight.

Thieves had evaded security lights and alarms, remaining quiet enough to avoid waking Michael or any of his five dogs. They also stripped another Defender at a neighbouring farm, almost a mile down the road, in less than an hour.

“They knew exactly what they were looking for and struck with military precision. We have two locked gates to the property and they didn’t try these, they entered through a busy main road, neatly cutting through a wire netting fence and some barbed wire to bring their vehicle through to the yard.

“When they got to the Defender they seemed to know exactly where to stand to avoid triggering the alarms or lights and stripped it so quietly that even my dogs didn’t hear them. They took off with the bonnet, boot and doors and removed the windscreen.

“We found the bolts neatly laid out so they clearly knew what they were doing.”

Michael added: “It’s worrying to think they’d scouted out the farm before from the road or by drones, but I think they must have done to have such a clear idea of where my alarms were.

“It really is an impossible scenario. Initially you’re gutted and feel you must have been silly and left an easy target, but then you realise that this is an organised gang that have planned a raid and know exactly what they are doing.

“There was no sign of the parts but then I suspect the thieves have a market for the parts they steal.”

Thefts of Defenders remains high

Owners of Land Rover Defender are being urged to take action to safeguard their iconic vehicles against clued-up thieves.

NFU Mutual advises a combination of traditional and technological security measures as claims data shows that Defender theft cost £2.4 million in 2022.

Although this is a very slight drop from 2021, when Defender theft shot up to £2.6 million after a lockdown lull, the claims data reveals that organised thieves continue to target the countryside icons.

Indications from this year’s data suggest that the cost of Defender theft is set to increase again in 2023.

As well as stealing vehicles, NFU Mutual frequently receives reports that Land Rover Defenders are being stripped for their valuable parts.

Police and NFU Mutual experts working on recovery have traced vehicles as far afield as Africa and Eastern Europe, and found several ‘chop shops’ – fields full of half-dismantled Defenders who’s parts are being sold on the illicit market.

Protecting your vehicles

NFU Mutual is offering farmers practical advice to protect their vehicles and has also partnered with Scorpion Track to offer customers discounts of over 50% on sophisticated tracking and anti-theft devices for their vehicles.

DC Chris Piggott of the National Construction and Agri Thefts Team, which sits within the National Rural Crime Unit of the police, said:

“Part of the charm of classic Defender is also what makes them vulnerable to theft, as they are not fitted with modern security systems – and their charm also drives up their value, making them an attractive target for thieves.

“In fact, since production was stopped on the classic Defender model, their parts have quadrupled in value.

“It is therefore worth doing all you can to fortify your vehicle, using a combination of measures such as immobilisers and tracking devices as well as traditional methods like pedal and steering wheel locks.

“Sadly, it’s not uncommon to find vehicles which have been stripped for parts in situ, or very nearby, but again, slowing thieves down can effectively stop them and good site security can go a long way to protecting your Defender.”