Business

How to Protect Your Farm from Crime in Oxfordshire

Police in Oxfordshire have been stepping up efforts in response to rural crime, with night patrols in various rural areas across the county. Police officials in the county say that the area has one of the biggest rural populations in the UK and that many businesses are run from rural locations. It is as important to protect rural businesses like farms as it is inner-city offices. While the crime rate is lower in the country, many rural businesses own assets that are worth a lot more than their city counterparts.

Here are some tips for protecting your Oxfordshire farm from crime.

Pay Attention to the Gates and Fences

Keep your property more secure by making sure that all fences and gates are properly maintained and kept locked at all times with high-security padlocks and chains. Wherever possible, keep your gates shut and access restricted to your premises. It is not always possible or desirable to keep gates shut, but criminals will naturally target premises with easier access.

Use a Strong Security Combination

A good set of security measures acts as a strong shield, and those security measures should include security lighting, alarms, and working CCTV. Oxford security services recommend a combination of these security measures to keep both rural and city businesses safe. But you do need to make sure they are installed correctly and work correctly, otherwise they are not likely to do much good.

Mark Equipment and Store Valuable Items Offsite

Use a UV pen or engraving to mark valuables with your postcode and the farm name. Keep any computers and other electronic equipment inside a residential building or in a safe at night or when you leave the farm for extended periods of time.

Protect Your Equipment

Park your bigger items of equipment in front of larger access doors to sheds in order to make it harder for thieves to enter buildings and drive out trucks and tractors. Look at the security for your fuel tanks and install an anti-siphon device if necessary, as well as keeping fuel stores securely locked and unavailable to intruders.

In all cases, ensure that your insurance cover is complete and up to date. You will naturally be able to take advantage of a lower crime rate when you live and work in the countryside, but many crimes are on the rise and it is better to be fully protected in order to keep your livelihood safe.

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