2007 McGruff Conference

Rural Crime:

Don’t be the Next Victim

Presented by: The Washington State Crime Prevention Association

            Crime is not limited to the big city. Rural residents who are often more trusting than their city friends are being victimized more and more by thieves and burglars. The odd saying, “It won’t happen to me,” is simply no true anymore. 
In Washington and throughout the United States, crime in rural areas is 
increasing at a much faster rate than in the metropolitan areas.\

Housebreaking:

          Farmers and ranchers should be every bit as careful about protecting 
heir homes as city dwellers. Most important, install good locks and use them. 
A deadbolt lock is a big improvement over old spring-latch types. An if there’s 
a window in or near the door, place the lock where it can’t be reached from the window (approximately 40 inches.)

            Guns are one of the most commonly stolen items in rural Washington Communities. Keep them locked up and, if possible, out of sight to protect 
them and to protect others from them.

            Don’t depend on a gun or other weapon for protection. A weapon 
used against a criminal can too easily be turned against you. An incidents 
where a homeowner mistakenly injures a friend or relative are all too common.

            Make you r home look and sound occupied. When you’re away, 
leave draperies and shades in their normal position. At night, leave on some 
inner lights, like bathrooms or hallways. An automatic timer can turn on a lamp 
or a radio, then turn it off again a few hours later.

            Never leave barn, shed, or other doors open. An open garage door especially with no car in sight is like a “welcome” sign to burglars.

            Don’t let everyone know when you will be out or on vacation. Stop newspapers and mail, or have a neighbor pick them up for you. Arrange to 
have your grass cut.

            Don’t leave your keys hidden outside.. They’re too easily found. 
And don’t leave notes telling visitors when you will be back and where the 
keys are kept.

            Keep an eye on you neighbor’s place and ask him to do the same for 
you. If you see anything suspicious like a loiterer or a strange car or truck in 
the roadway report it to your local law enforcement agency immediately.

            Join Operation Identification and engrave your driver’s license number 
on household valuables and farm equipment. Post Crime Watch window 
stickers in conspicuous places to warn would-be burglars that your farm is protected.

Rustling:

            Livestock rustling is big business in Washington, and lucrative for experienced cattle thieves.

            Rustlers choose a target by looking for isolated pastures or feedlots, unlocked corrals and loading chutes, unbranded animals and absent owners. Professionals may spend weeks observing a “mark,” on foot, by car or truck 
or even by helicopter or light plane.

            Then they make their move, usually stealing only ten or fifteen head 
at a time often in less than ten minutes. Careless owners aren’t quick t 
notice such small losses, and when they do, it’s ordinarily too late for recovery. Chances are, the animals have been sold and, in some cases, butchered 
within hours of their disappearance.

What can you do to Protect  Your Stock?

        Mark your animals. A permanent brand tattoo or other marking  
system is essential for the identification of stolen livestock. Make marks 
distinct, and identify young stock soon after birth. Signs posted on your 
property indicating that animals are permanently  branded are often a 
deterrent to 
thieves.

         Check stock frequently. Most livestock thefts occur away from 
buildings, in isolated pastures or feedlots. Keep a close watch on these 
areas, and take a frequent count of animals. When you’re away, arrange 
for a neighbor to check them often.

            Check fences and gates regularly. Good fences and closed gates 
prevent strays, which are especially vulnerable to  theft. Lock corral 
gates and loading chutes. Use case-hardened chains at least 3/8” thick 
and a good-quality padlock with a hardened steel shackle across roads that 
ead to these areas.

            Report missing stock immediately. Rustlers move stolen property fast, 
so notify authorities whenever stock is missing, even when animals may have strayed.

Hay and Grain Theft:

            The theft of hay and grain in Washington is prevalent, ranging from the 

loss of a few bales from small farms up to several tons from large ranches.

1.      Would-be thieves look for places where hay is piled in a field or 
stored away from the farmhouse. So stack your hay where you or 
your neighbors can see it from home.

2.      If possible, fence the area where the hay is stored and light the entrances at night.

3.      Mark hay ( and grain, too) by sprinkling it  with coded confetti.

4.      People in farm areas should be observant. If you see a suspicious vehicle on your neighbor’s property, write down a description or 
the license number, just in case you are witnessing a theft.

5.      During harvest, many grain trucks are in operation. Make sure that 
any truck that pulls up to your elevator is authorized. An keep 
your elevator locked at all times.

Stealing:

            Here are some ways to protect the tools and equipment you normally 
    store outdoors.

1.      Lock up your vehicles. Don’t make it easy for a theft to use your 
truck and trailer to steal from you.

2.      It’s not a good idea to leave major farm equipment out in the field. 
If you can’t bring your equipment in at night, position it where you 

\or a neighbor can watch it, or put it out of sight from the road on the other side of a rolling hill. Keep a tow chain (of case-hardened 
metal at least 3/8” thick handy and use it to secure the equipment. Otherwise, remove the rotor and distributor cap. Similar security should be applied to jeeps, bikes, snowmobiles and boats when 
not in us. You can help secure items on trailers by removing the 
hitch.

3.      Light up your house, yard and corrals. Thieves always prefer to 

\work in the dark. High-pressure sodium lights provide fairly inexpensive security.

4.      4. Tools should be locked up, too. Small, expensive tools, like 
    electric drills, are best kept in the house or in a secured shop or 
    storage room. Don’t leave tools in open pickups. Keep your 
rifles out of sight. It’s best to skip your CB out and take it in at 
night.

5.      Join Operation I.D. And mark farm and shop tools and equipment 
with your driver’s license number. This number deters thieves and makes it easy t trace stolen goods.

6.      Gas pumps, gas tanks, storage bins and grain elevators should be secured with strong locks.

Closing: All it takes to protect your property is good sense. Light up. 
Lock up. Look out. And join Operation Identification.

Check with your local law enforcement agency for more information 
about protecting yourself from rural crime.