Organised crime groups warned 'rural communities are not soft touches'

A quad bike stolen from a farm near Yetholm on Monday night has been found - around ten miles away, in the Bowmont Forest area of Kelso.

Police say it was successfully recovered on Tuesday due to being fitted with a tracking device.

It comes as it's revealed officers tackling rural crime have taken part in new training to help prevent the theft of agricultural machinery, as part of a nation-wide crackdown.

The VIN chip system allows vehicles and equipment to be scanned from distance using specialist devices, to identify the owner and whether they have been reported stolen.

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This year alone, 34 quad bikes, 13 trailers and 10 agricultural vehicles and plant worth a total of £536,500 have been stolen from farms and rural premises across the country.

According to police, the most targeted areas are The Lothians and Scottish Borders.

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Sergeant Lauren Semple said: "I want to send a clear message to organised crime groups that our rural communities are not soft touches, and we will continue to work with key partners and the farming industry to explore new ways of reducing this kind of crime.

“By providing communities with advice on deterring criminality and increasing prevention methods, we can reduce opportunities for criminals.”

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