Stop me! stickers given to farmers to protect machinery and vehicles against thieves

The bright yellow stickers, which should be placed on agricultural vehicles, read: “Police Stop Me if you see me between 10pm and 5am”. 

The idea behind the initiative is that if agricultural machinery or vehicles are seen on the roads between those late night/early morning hours, officers can investigate they are being driven by the rightful owners. 

Agricultural equipment and machinery is frequently targeted by criminals who either sell it on – even exporting abroad – or use it to commit other offences, such as ATM raids. 

The stickers are a joint initiative between Cambridgeshire Police and the East Cambridgeshire Community Safety Partnership. They have been funded by the Cambridgeshire Police and Crime Commissioner. 

READ MORE: Farmers warned about criminal gangs targeting popular pick-ups

Raising awareness 

Police Sargent Tom Nuttall from the force’s Rural Crime Action Team (RCAT) said: “We use different tactics to try and disrupt and prevent agricultural crimes – this being one of them.  

“We know these stickers won’t necessarily stop a theft, but they will make owners, criminals, the public, and police officers more aware of agricultural equipment theft. 

“If we stop one piece of agricultural equipment from being stolen because of these stickers, they have done their job.” 

Jo Johnson Andow, Community Safety and Projects Support Officer for East Cambridgeshire Community Safety Partnership, added: “Cambridgeshire is one of the highest areas for agricultural theft in the country. While these stickers themselves will not necessarily prevent thefts, they go a long way to helping raise the issue.” 

READ MORE: Stolen farm equipment worth £80k recovered in Essex

Read more rural crime news.