Rural Crimes Are On The Rise: 3 Ways That Farmers & Rural Land Owners Can Protect Their Property
While highly populated urban areas were once considered to have the highest security risks for home and property owners, this problem has now become all too common for small farming operations and property owners in rural areas of the nation. Part of this problem is because criminals are well aware that rural law enforcement agencies are often forced to cover large counties with a limited number of personnel and a very tight budget for fuel, training, equipment and vehicles. This gives the criminal a sense of security and an open invitation to commit the thefts, burglaries, property damage and other crimes in areas that are seldom patrolled and have a response time that offers the criminals a good chance to escape undetected, even if law enforcement is notified and enroute to stop them. If you own a farming operation, ranch or other rural property and would like to take steps to protect it, the following information can help.
Keeping an eye on your property, even when you are far away
Improvement in cellular technology and wireless Internet availability has made it possible for rural landowners and farmers to keep watch on their property in real time, even when they are miles away. Security cameras, both still and video, can be installed that are capable of making images available to your computer, tablet or smartphone via the web. When criminal activity is noted, you can route the images to local law enforcement to help them make an arrest and fully prosecute the criminals. When using cameras, it is important to monitor key areas of your property, including:
- entrances and exits of buildings and structures
- gates leading into and out of the property
- areas where products and materials that thieves often target are stored, such as fuel and fertilizer storage tanks, vehicles, tools, equipment, anywhere that copper wiring or tubing is used and even valuable livestock, such as cattle
When outfitting your rural property with security cameras, ask the security company about using solar power to provide electricity to power the cameras in areas with no connection to the grid or where connecting to the grid would be cost prohibitive. In addition to making the security system more economical, the use of solar technology will allow you to camouflage cameras more easily, without having any tell-tale overhead wiring that might warn thieves that their actions are being recorded.
Adding upgrades that will help deter theft
Another way in which you can make your property less inviting to the common thief is to add upgrades to the structures and improvements that also help deter theft. One excellent upgrade to consider is to add electrical fencing a few inches inside your current perimeter fencing. When thieves attempt to climb over or cut through the perimeter fence, they will likely be turned away the electrical shock they receive when they make contact with a fully charged electric fence.
Motion activated security lighting is another upgrade that can help to discourage nefarious activity. Motion lighting works well when placed near entrances and exits, gates and any area that contains high value items that thieves want to steal. Motion activated lighting and electric fence controllers are both available in solar powered units for use in areas where grid power is not readily available.
Banding together with other rural property owners
Another way to boost security for rural property is to seek out and band together with other property owners in the area. Make a pact to perform periodic patrols and keep watch throughout the area for possible criminal activity. Your local sheriff or county law enforcement official can help you and your neighbors learn what to watch for and the best ways stay safe while notifying law enforcement when a potential problem is spotted.
For more information, talk to a company like American Wireless Alarm Inc.