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Quad Bikes & All-Terrain Vehicle Security

Quad Bikes and All-Terrain Vehicles are a major target for thieves and highly organised criminals in the UK. These types of vehicles are easy to steal as thieves can jump on and drive off when you are working on a farm or target them from workshops and barns.

Remote locations such as farms can offer rich pickings due to their rural location and isolation from other neighbours.

Follow our guidance below to build up the layers of security on your farm:

Quad Bikes & All-Terrain Vehicles

1Restrict Access: Consider the access to farmyards and buildings - if gates or entrances are no longer used, then seal them off. Restrict access routes to the premises where possible – if not, ensure they have good natural surveillance from any farmhouses i.e. where you have a good view from an occupied room.

2Keep Out of Sight: Try to keep the vehicles out of sight from nearby roads, as thieves will often survey properties looking for vehicles.

3Close Gates: Keep gates to yards closed, as open gates can be an open invitation to thieves. Lock barns or outbuildings doors at night using a heavy-duty SBD approved hasp and staple with security padlock.

4Use Clamps & Locks: When leaving vehicles overnight, consider a bespoke Quad/ATV drive on security device which clamps around the wheel and is secured to a concrete floor. Other solutions include using a combination of SBD security approved locks and chains with ground anchors or wheel locks with a high attack rating.

5Fit Immobilisation and Tracking Systems :The use of tracking systems can notify the owner the vehicle is being interfered with or moved, allowing for a prompt response to either prevent the theft or detain offenders. SBD have several members who specialise in this area and can advise on the best system and fitting of the product for your vehicle. Remember these vehicles are often exported overseas by gangs so being able to track its location is vital.

6Lighting : Lighting is a good deterrent on a farm, especially in the long winter nights and around the barns where your quad/ATV are stored. Consider outside security lights controlled by an automatic time-switch or infra-red beams that react to heat or movement.

7Fogging Devices : These systems fill a protected area with an impenetrable cloud of fog which reduces visibility and can fill the barn or outbuildings within seconds of a detection; it is difficult to steal what you cannot see.

8Fogging Devices : Keep a record of serial numbers, chassis and model numbers and take note of any custom marks on the vehicle. Take colour photographs from several angles and additionally take videos with a smartphone if possible.

9Mark your Property : Security marking your quad/ATV using an SBD recognised forensic asset marking or etching kit is a highly effective deterrent to thieves and an established method of reducing theft. Remember to use the visible warning labels to show that the property is marked. Trying to remove one of these forensic markers is very difficult and in many cases the police only need a trace amount to establish ownership and gain a conviction. The CESAR System is the National security marking system of the Construction Equipment Association and Agricultural Engineers Association with the aim of reducing plant and farm theft.

10 Remove Keys!: Never leave your keys in the ignition, even if you only briefly leave your quad/ATV unattended, and don’t be an easy target for opportunity theft.

If you have an intruder alarm, make sure it is set. If you do not have one, consider having an approved alarm system installed. Visit Police Security Systems to find out all the information that you need to know to assist you in choosing the right security system for your farm.

CCTV with remote monitoring is a deterrent and will help protect both your farm and machinery. Due to the size and nature of farm premises, this type of 24/7 monitoring can confirm the cause of an alarm activation and identify any suspicious activity. 

If the building is remote with no mains power a GSM -battery system could alert you to anything suspicious. If you decide to use CCTV, it is important to read the Information Commissioners Office (ICO) advice on Domestic CCTV systems. Click the button below to find out more:

CCTV Security Advice

Many Police forces operate a Rural Police team and help organise Farm and Country Business Watches to deal with issues affecting rural communities.

Finally, it is important report any sightings of suspicious activity in any fields and farmyards to the police.

Use the 101 number for passing information on or 999 in an emergency when a crime is taking place.

Rural crime continues to be a huge issue for British farmers and the theft of a quad bike can have an enormous impact on a farm business.

It’s important we all work together to make a criminal’s life as hard as possible and the NFU has brought together insurers, the police, and manufacturers to find solutions.

Farmers can play their part and I welcome this sound practical security advice from Secured by Design.

I encourage farmers to consider the simple preventative methods that can be put in place to reduce the chances of becoming a victim.”

Stuart Roberts - NFU Deputy President

Police Preferred Specification Products for Vehicle Security