Practical guidelines to prevent stock theft

By Laurence Palmer | 19 July 2024 | 1:00 pm

Laurence Palmer, a security consultant, lists some practical advice that farmers can follow to prevent stock theft.

In this article, I make recommendations on how to prevent and/or stop stock theft on a farm in South Africa, but these may apply to other farms in rural areas in Africa.

The recommendations are generic and can be applied on any farm or property. While they may seem straightforward, many farmers only employ some of these strategies, to their own detriment.

Perimeter

An effective perimeter barrier is your first line of defence. A physical barrier should be strong enough to serve as a deterrent, or at least make it very difficult for the intruder to penetrate it.

To establish your perimeter, define the perimeter of your property (fields or paddocks). Secure the perimeter in the most effective way, taking your budget and topography into account.

The perimeter can be supported by electronic beams, CCTV and other electronic alarm and detection methods. Modern wireless systems and extended effective detection distances make this more possible than before.

Your farm gates are your most vulnerable element. Make sure that they are secure and match the security level of the rest of the perimeter. Install sets of vacuum gates to enhance your own security when moving through these.

Barriers must be inspected at least every 12 hours to ensure that there are no breaches. Be aware of cuts made and camouflaged with grass or shrubs for later unhindered access.

To inspect your barriers properly, make sure that all perimeter fencing is clear of long grass and shrubs for at least 3m on each side of the barrier. Where possible, small-stock pens where stock can be kept overnight and protected from unauthorised access.

If you are thinking about employing a security guard to guard your perimeter, consider that a single security guard is no match for a group of armed thieves.

As such, organise your protection plan in such a way that the security guard can keep themselves safe while reporting to the response team and relaying as much information as possible.

If the security guard reacts early enough, the response team may be able to catch the thieves in the act, get them arrested and save your stock.

Security systems

Technology is advancing so quickly that a system purchased today is already out of date tomorrow.

Make sure that you get reliable technical advice on the system or equipment best suited to your application, and do not get influenced by cheap sales talk and promotions.

If you the correct equipment, and it is correctly installed and maintained, it can provide effective protection for you, your family, your farmworkers and stock.

Concentrate on choosing a system that can give you early warning of any unauthorised access to the property to give you enough time to activate your response team and resources. Intruder detection beams are a good idea in this regard.

These systems are solar/battery powered and have radio communication. They can cover large areas, and are reliable and effective.

Also bear in mind that technology is a valuable source of evidence that can be utilised by the investigating officer and later the courts, which could lead to the successful prosecution and conviction of criminals. In this instance, CCTV cameras are a good option.

Again, these systems may be solar/battery powered, are suitable for rural applications, can record the origin of any unauthorised intrusion onto the property, raise an alarm and record all ongoing activity.

Other add-on systems to consider include flood lights, which activate when movement is detected, voice projection and transmission of the alarm to various interested parties.

Drones are also a wonderful resource, and can be very effective when correctly deployed. However, their deployment is very expensive and is controlled by law.

Keep animals in pens where possible. It is easier to control and protect animals that are enclosed.

Stock identification

Stock identification is a protection practice that has been used for many years to register the ownership of stock and to make it more difficult for stock thieves to sell or transfer the ownership of stock.

It is essential for farmers to brand or tattoo their animals. However, this does not necessarily refer to traditional methods of branding. There are many electronic options available on the market, from GPS collars to implanted chips, to alarm systems that are another early warning system.

Strategic obstacles and securing equipment and vehicles

Create strategic obstacles such as trenches, walls and other physical obstacles that can deny the thieves access to your stock or make it more difficult for them to move your stock.

Ensure that all equipment and vehicles are secure and cannot be accessed or used by potential thieves in their attack on your farm and stock.

Create and support district forums

Preventing stock theft is not a battle you can win on your own, and it is prudent to have the support of your local community. Create a communication network that is supported by all local farmers and keep in constant touch with each other.

Make sure you have a backup system in case one system fails, or is damaged, or you do not have any electricity.

Also make sure that you know each other’s circumstances and understand the weaknesses and strengths of each farmer.

The forum must include all possible role players that are involved in the community, such as police, private security companies, immigration and border authorities, and breeders’ associations, amongst others.

Reaction and protection plan

It is a waste of time having all the physical protection and alarms that you can afford if you do not have a response plan.

The plan must have at its disposal a rapid response team of armed security and volunteer farmers who can at a moment’s notice respond to an alarm call or a call for help.

The plan must identify the access and escape routes of the stock thieves from each target farm.