Stepping up fight on rural vehicle crime

Mechanics and police officers from across Scotland are being brought up to speed on a new scheme to stop the theft of rural vehicles.
CESAR is to protect agricultural vehicles. Dave Luscombe (left) and Nick Mayell (right) from Datatag and Detective Inspector Jane Donaldson of Police Scotland.CESAR is to protect agricultural vehicles. Dave Luscombe (left) and Nick Mayell (right) from Datatag and Detective Inspector Jane Donaldson of Police Scotland.
CESAR is to protect agricultural vehicles. Dave Luscombe (left) and Nick Mayell (right) from Datatag and Detective Inspector Jane Donaldson of Police Scotland.

The CESAR (Construction and Agricultural Equipment Security Register) Marking Scheme aims to deter theives from stealing of plant, agricultural and construction vehicles.

Statistics from the Plant and Agricultural National Intelligence Unit indicate a CESAR-registered vehicle is four times less likely to be stolen, but if it is, it’s six times more likely to be recovered.

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Each CESAR-registered vehicle is fitted with highly visible, tamper-evident identification plates, Datatag transponders, unique Datadots concealed in the machine and an invisible forensic DNA marking solution.

Quad bike and All Terrain Vehicle (ATV) theft is one of the key priorities identified by SPARC (Scottish Partnership Against Rural Crime) group. More than 80 per cent of quad bikes stolen in Scotland are snatched in Lanarkshire, Lothians and the Borders, Ayrshire and Fife.

Chief Supt Gavin Robertson, chairman of SPARC, said: “SPARC members have been very encouraged by the reductions in quad bikes and ATV thefts so far but we’re determined to do more to prevent this crime.”

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