Victoria Police farm crime specialists visited Axedale on Friday to speak with community members about how they can better protect themselves from farm crime.
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Police were also giving out a number of farm gate signs and farm security checklists.
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Victoria Police Farm Crime Coordination Unit Inspector Karl Curran said the roadshow was all about meeting and educating the community around farm crime.
"We are speaking with locals about what farm prevention strategies they can put in their properties, this is all about community safety and security," he said.
"By getting out, these events are an opportunity to show the community who we are, what we do. We were also there to give out some tips and tricks to ensure farms are well secure."
Goornong farmer Joy Whatley said the roadshow was a great initiative to educate the community.
"We have dealt with farm crime for a number of years and we have had some incidents at our farm with livestock stolen," she said.
"It's important to get these signs, put them up and let people know that we are aware of farm crime.
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"We thought we would come down and get some information and speak with some police officers that can help us deal with it all."
Axedale farmers Joyce and Greg Westhead went along on Friday to get some handy tips on preventive measures.
"We have been robbed quite a few years ago twice, someone came in and took 11 firearms, welders and all sorts of things," Ms Westhead.
"We came along today to get some signs and materials to ensure it doesn't happen again."
Mr Westhead said farmers can often be easy targets for thieves.
"Unfortunately it does happen, businesses and banks have infrastructure and money for high surveillance where as farms, they don't. They are easy targets.
"People think we are out in the bush, no one is around and no one cares, it's terrible."
Property theft and deception offences have decreased in the Greater Bendigo and Loddon LGAs over the last 12 months, while the Campaspe LGA has seen an increase in offences.
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Inspector Curran said there was a large number of crime that goes unreported in regional and rural areas.
"It's so critical for farmers to report anything that they hear in relation to committing these crimes," he said.
"Some people might not report farm crime because they think the police are busy but we want to counter that myth. We have the police assistance line available along with crime stoppers, we are here to help."
Inspector Curran thanked everyone that turned out along with the other emergency service representatives including the CFA.
"We love to work with our emergency services to rely on any safety messages and obviously we are coming into fire season so it was important to the CFA come today," he said.
Inspector Curran said it was important to follow some easy safety tips to prevent farm crime, they include:
- Are all gates, doors, windows, and pother openings fitted with secure and working locks?
- Do your gates latch closed properly, protecting your livestock and machines?
- Do you remove keys from all of your vehicles and machinery?
- Do you have a full inventory of all your stock, machinery and equipment?
- Is your stock regularly counted and tagged?
- Is you equipment permanently marked or engraved for easy identification?
- Are chemicals, fuel, and other dangerous goods stored in safe containers?
- Are firearms stored securely, and away from ammunition, bolts and accessories?
- Have you registered any firearms, machinery, nd vehicles?
- Do you have CCTV cameras, or floods lights set up around the buildings on your property?
Where can I report a crime?
Anyone needing immediate police assistance should call Triple Zero (000).
Anyone with information about farm thefts should contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000, or make a confidential report online at crimestoppersvic.com.au.
"We need to out a spotlight on what's happening and what people are doing," Inspector Curran said.
"Someone might hold that missing part of the information to help us solve something, we just need a little help from the community."
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