Rural crime cost the UK £44.5 million in 2017, an increase in previous years and the source of enormous anxiety for businesses based in the countryside.
Farming insurance body NFU Mutual has urged farmers and other rural business people to step up their site security.
NFU Mutual Rural Affairs Specialist Tim Price has been quoted in the trade press saying: “From the South East of England to the North of Scotland we’re seeing brazen criminals stealing cars, 4x4s, tractors, quad bikes and tools. We’re especially concerned that criminals are becoming more sophisticated and are overcoming electronic security to steal expensive vehicles of all types.”
Mesh in the country
The tradition in the UK has always been for farms, horticultural ventures and village communities to coexist openly and inclusively. As a result, mesh netting and other fencing solutions have tended to be low key and designed more towards keeping animals in rather than intruders out.
The rising crime rates and the fight to survive have inspired many farmers to adopt new security measures to protect their equipment, animals and crops.
This includes commissioning welded mesh and woven mesh fencing to provide the level of security you would normally only expect for industrial sites.
Meshing with the environment
One of the advantages of this option is that it avoids building a ‘fortress’ around agricultural, animal husbandry and horticulture enterprises. Mesh fencing can still let in light, and it also blends better into the environment than alternative fencing systems.
Perimeter fencing made of mesh is also highly versatile and can take uneven or varying terrain into account. Mesh fencing can be mapped out, then cut to size to install in any situation. Its merits have already been thoroughly tested for outdoor events and construction site security.
Mesh fencing is also mobile, providing the option of moving and amending panels as the location of quads, tractors, power tools and livestock changes according to the season or business patterns.
This type of high-security fencing also offers the bonus of being highly durable and low maintenance. Thus, making it a wise long-term investment for farmers.
Integrated security solutions for farms
Mesh fencing can also be easily amalgamated with security gates, movement detectors and infrared cameras.
As farms and horticultural enterprises generally cover large amounts of ground and multiple sites of operation, attaching remote monitoring systems to mesh fencing can provide far greater visibility and control.
This all serves to help deter, delay and detect all manner of intruders on farms and horticulture land, including trespassers who can damage crops or worry livestock.
For more security fencing solutions for rural businesses and events, contact us at Zaun.
