MONEY seized from criminals was used to kit 20 farm vehicles out with security at a reduced cost to the owners.

The measure was a response by Peter McCall, Cumbria’s Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC), to a rise in quad bike thefts across the county.

Twenty vehicles, including quad bikes, tractors and combine harvesters, were fitted with a CESAR security system at an event in Kirkby Stephen, hosted by rural crime initiative Country Watch Eden.

The aim was to make the vehicles easier to identify and retrieve if stolen.

The respective owners each paid £50 instead of £150 for the service, thanks to funding from the Police and Crime Commissioner’s ‘Property Fund’ initiative, which sees money seized from criminals distributed to community projects.

Earlier this year, insurance company NFU Mutual reported a significant rise in the cost of farm vehicle-theft in 2018, including a 10 per cent rise for cases involving all-terrain vehicles and quad bikes.

PCC Peter McCall said: “Country Watch Eden has done a fantastic job at highlighting the importance of securing rural vehicles.

“Recently in Cumbria, there has been a spate of quad bike thefts so it’s imperative that we work together as a community to help reduce these thefts.

“We can do this by encouraging our family, friends, neighbours and colleagues to make sure their vehicles are secure and locked away when not in use, having our vehicles security marked and reporting anything that looks suspicious to the police.”

He added: “I would encourage any farmer, rural business or anyone that owns a large, agricultural vehicle who did not attend the security marking event to still look in to securing their property. Every little extra helps.”