Protect your farm shop investment

By Doug Rich

A new, well-lit, heated farm shop equipped with all the necessary tools soon becomes the center of activity on any farm. It can also become the center of attention for would-be thieves looking for an easy score.

If you are in the process of planning a new farm shop or already have one built, spend some time considering how to reduce the risk of theft on your farm.

Theft of property from rural farms and ranches is an ongoing problem. For example, from 2009 to 2011 the Missouri Livestock and Farm Protection Task Force working with the Missouri State Highway Patrol's Rural Crimes Investigative Unit investigated 891 incidents, arrested 182 suspects and recovered $2,871,738 in stolen property.

According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation Preliminary Annual Crime Statistics for 2011, property crime decreased 14 percent in metropolitan counties but increased 2.6 percent in non-metropolitan counties. This same report stated that larceny thefts increased 4.1 percent in non-metropolitan counties.

Theft prevention can be as simple as neighbors watching out for each other or as sophisticated as installing electronic alarm systems. The National Sheriff's Association recommends watching your neighbor's property and reporting suspicious persons, vehicles, or activity to your local law enforcement agency. Be sure to notify your neighbors when you will be gone, but don't make it known to the entire community.

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