Upper Bann MP Carla Lockhart has announced that she will campaigning for new measures to tackle thefts of all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) and GPS units in Northern Ireland.
The campaign follows the UK government confirming that it will be introducing regulations this year that aim to reduce thefts of farming equipment.
The new regulations will require all ATVs and GPS units to be marked with unique forensic markings and registered on a national database.
Lockhart, who is the Democratic Unionist Party’s (DUP) spokesperson for agriculture, stated that she will be liaising with Stormont’s Justice Minister, Naomi Long, to ensure that the measures are considered and enacted in Northern Ireland as well.
Rural crime
Lockhart said: “Rural crime, and particularly the theft of farm machinery and GPS equipment, has been a persistent blight on rural areas throughout Northern Ireland.
“For too long, organised criminal gangs have targeted our farms, stealing quads, tractors, machinery and GPS units – often exporting them abroad and leaving farmers facing huge financial losses and disruption to their livelihoods.”
She highlighted that once these regulations are put in place, stolen ATVs and GPS units will become significantly harder to sell on and easier to identify and return to the rightful owner.
Northern Ireland
The Upper Bann MP acknowledged that while the new measures mark a major step forward in the fight against rural crime, “further action would be required to ensure Northern Ireland’s farming families and rural businesses are properly protected”.
Lockhart added: “Farmers in Northern Ireland have seen first-hand the emotional and financial toll of rural theft.
“These new measures show that progress is being made, but our goal must be to make Northern Ireland a no-go area for those who prey on agri-businesses and rural communities.
“We need to continue working to strengthen deterrents – including looking at immobilisers, improved tracking standards, and better cross-border co-operation to tackle rural crime effectively”
