Fury as Labour won't stop 4x4 theft in its tracks and tackle rural crime

Countryside campaigners are dismayed the Labour Government is refusing to take radical against the scourge of farm theft by requiring new all-terrain vehicles such as four-by-fours and quad bikes to be fitted with immobilisers.

There is also grave disappointment that a raft of equipment ranging from tractors and drills to chainsaws and sprayers will not be marked with unique forensic identifiers.

Labour is accused of undermining one of the best chances to "tackle rural crime in generation" by the Conservatives by not making use of new powers to require new equipment to meet stringent anti-theft standards.

David Bean of the Countryside Alliance said the organisation was "bitterly disappointed with the Government's feeble, dithering response".

It claims "ministers have stripped the law of the very measure that would have done most to prevent thefts of vital farming machinery".

Policing minister Sarah Jones has confirmed the Government will not include immobiliser requirements for all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) in new regulations. ATVs and GPS systems will be marked to foil thieves but there is anger that a host of other equipment will not have these safeguards.

The Tories claim tool thefts occur every 21 minutes across the UK and say the Government "should be backing the police and farming community, not backing down to criminals".

Conservative MP Greg Smith, who secured the change in the law in 2023 to give the Government new powers to tackle farm theft, said: "This is an unforgivable let-down by Labour. All they had to do was move a simple statutory instrument, yet they've chosen to water the whole Act down, essentially surrendering to the criminals who wreak such devastation on our farms and rural businesses.

"Hardworking police officers have been clear that the measures in this Act would make a huge difference, but Labour have chosen to fail them and fail victims."

Shadow policing minister Matt Vickers said: "Labour's decision shows once again they don't understand the countryside. The theft of this equipment can turn lives upside down, preventing people from working and supporting their families.

"Farmers deserve protection."

A Home Office spokesperson said: "Equipment theft hits farmers and rural communities hard - it's not just property lost, it's livelihoods shattered. These changes will require new all-terrain vehicles and GPS units to be properly marked and registered on a secure database, giving police a vital tool to return stolen equipment to victims.

"This is a major step forward in protecting rural assets, and we will continue to explore options for mandating the fitting of immobilisers"

The Government argues it would not be practical to require tools to be marked and put on a database by a retailer. It says it is not bringing forward requirements for immobilisers on ATVs due to concern with compatibility with regulations to ensure vehicle safety.

However, shadow farming minister Robbie Moore said: "Rural crime costs millions every year, and the Equipment Theft Act was designed to stop it at its source. Labour's choice to strip out immobilisers and weaken the rules is a slap in the face to every farmer who has had their kit stolen."