Opinion: Ahead of the silly season, The Country's executive producer Rowena Duncum looks at some really simple ways of making your farm less attractive for those out to bag a five-finger discount.
They say Christmas is the time for giving, but just ask anyone involved in law enforcement or insurance and they'll readily tell you it's very much the time for taking.
Every year, here at The Country, we seem to be reporting on more instances of farmers losing sheep in the lead in to Christmas, which will undoubtedly end up on someone else's table.
While that can be devastating on both the finances and morale, there's nothing worse than getting home from holiday to find someone else has taken their own shopping spree through your kids' presents and irreplaceable family heirlooms.
Over the past three years, rural insurance provider FMG alone has paid over $17m in rural theft and burglary claims and it'll come as no surprise to anyone that claims peak in January, coinciding with the holiday period.
If you're fortunate enough to get away this summer, making a few changes can reduce the likelihood of burglars carrying out the rural equivalent of a ram raid through the family farm. A few helpful tips include:
- Social media ban
It's a good idea to keep your travel plans off social media to avoid becoming a target. You never know who's scoping out the 'gram' for potential marks.
- Get someone to clear your mail and mow your lawns
If someone's popping in to feed the dogs on the farm, why not go the whole hog and ask them to clear the mailbox and maybe even mow the lawn, so it looks like someone is still living at home while you're away. Speaking from experience (granted it was decades ago) secondary school kids are always keen for a bit of extra pocket money.
- Out of sight, out of mind
It's an oldie but a goodie - avoid leaving valuables in your car while you travel. If items like smartphones, wallets, handbags, and tools are left in plain sight, they're likely to be targeted by thieves.
- Keep gates locked and ensure they can't be unhinged
You rarely hear of heists that involve carrying goods out piece-by-piece over a great distance. Usually it's more of a "back the truck up, throw the goods in, then scarper." By having decent, locked gates, it automatically makes your place less attractive for lazy, opportunists.
- Use high-spec padlocks on sheds
As I found out recently after misplacing the key to unlock the boat, some padlocks are tough to cut through, even with bolt cutters. Safe to say, that's exactly what you want on your sheds.
- Install security lighting around sheds and other buildings
Goes without saying that this increases the chances of thieves being spotted by anyone passing by, and also gives any security cameras the chance to pick up better detail for identification purposes too.
- Engrave tools and mark vehicles and other equipment with your driver's license number
That way, they're easily traceable if the worst happens, but they're later located. It can also be off-putting for thieves to be in possession of easily identifiable stolen property.
- Keep a register of your assets with any serial numbers or other identifying information
Your insurance company and law enforcement will thank you for it.
- Most importantly – if you see something suspicious, report it to either 111 or 105
As the leading rural insurer, FMG knows a fair bit about the type of incidents that lead to claims each year in rural and provincial New Zealand.
They use that data to create specialised advice to help you make good calls and prevent disruption, so for more tips on keeping your belongings where they really belong this summer, check out FMG's website – www.FMG.co.nz.