Commissioner funds new property marking pilot to tackle tool theft

Angelique Foster, Derbyshire Police and Crime Commissioner, has announced the launch of a new pilot to help business owners protect their high-value power tools from theft.

The Commissioner is launching a new Datatag property marking scheme which will see free kits distributed to farmers, bricklayers, plumbers and other business owners across the county to help protect their power tools from theft.

The Datatag technology uses electronic transponders which are fitted in hidden locations on the property tools. These transponders possess a unique identification code that can be read by a handheld scanner used by the police. It means business owners and small traders can be quickly reunited with their stolen property in the event of theft and that offenders caught in possession of Datatagged property face certain conviction. Datatag tamper resistant labels, meanwhile, warn potential thieves that the property has been permanently marked to deter their activities in the first place.

The scheme is being implemented by Derbyshire Constabulary who will train officers within Safer Neighbourhood Teams situated throughout the county, who will report back to the Commissioner.

It follows similar scheme last year which saw the Commissioner invest £15k into an initiative providing farmers with the opportunity to have their vehicles, machinery and equipment securely marked with ‘Datatag' products to help deter thieves.

As a result of its success, Derbyshire Constabulary's Rural Crime Team was announced as the ‘most proactive' RCT in the UK after scooping the prestigious 2023 Rob Oliver Award from the Construction Equipment Association (CEA) for excellence in the fight against construction plant and agricultural machinery theft.

Police and Crime Commissioner Angelique Foster said: "Theft has a crippling impact on all businesses, particularly the self-employed. Small traders rely on their tools for a living and without them, many are unable to work until this expensive equipment is replaced. This can lead to loss of earning but also in some cases threaten the future survival of the business.

"Our existing property marking scheme has been a huge success with well over £2m worth of agricultural machinery protected. This latest pilot will help us to protect even more livelihoods and supports our smaller businesses and small traders. Offenders who ignore it and steal Datatag marked tools are far more likely to find themselves in court."

The Commissioner scheme involves free kits and specific Datatag stickers which will be provided to affix to vans and garages where power tools are kept.