Tractor theft has always been a problem, but I think it's getting better. It has been a problem in the past because first, tractors have no title, so they're pretty easy to steal and resell. Second, they don't have unique keys. The key that fits your tractor will likely fit any other one that's the same brand and model, and probably a lot of the other models in that brand. There's high demand for used tractors, and they're in short supply, so it's fairly lucrative to lift them and easy to find a buyer. Finally, a lot of small tractors don't get used every day and can be stored in remote areas, so if a tractor does get stolen it may not be missed for a while.

Tractor theft is not that easy, though and is getting harder and more dangerous. There are four reasons that it's my perception that we're seeing a reduction in tractor theft.

First, and these have always been true, it generally happens at night and it's not that easy to load and chain down a tractor in darkness. I'm not sure the next generation of thieves wants to work that hard. Maybe it's a lot easier to scam tractor buyers on the internet than to go out and actually work for it.

Additionally, it's easy to get caught because a tractor rolling down the road at 2 am is pretty conspicuous. Since everyone has a cell phone now, reporting a suspicious movement of a tractor in the wee hours of the morning is very easy.

Third, especially with new tractors, it's getting crucial to have the serial number when ordering parts. If you provide a serial number to your local parts man, it's likely that if the tractor was stolen, the system will flag it. In a round about way, that will slow tractor theft.

Finally, it's never been cheaper to buy surveillance cameras to watch over your possessions, and tying in with that, the new ways of installing an affordable GPS tracking device on your tractor, and if it starts moving, you're alerted, is really discouraging thieves.

So how do you prevent tractor theft or minimize the impact of it if it does happen? Here are five tips:

1) Put a kill switch somewhere, or remove a safety switch when you're not using the tractor. Or, if you're going to away from the tractor for a long time, remove the battery.
2) Make it hard for the tractor to be winched on a trailer. Park something in front of it that's difficult to move.
3) Put cameras in the shop aimed at the tractor, put a GPS tracking device on it.
4) Cultivate a neighborhood watch program.
5) Get full replacement value insurance on your tractor so if it is stolen you get a new one.

Finally, here's a link to the video I mentioned about where to find serial numbers: https://www.smalink.com/customer/somk.... Enter your model number and it will show you where to look.

Let's all do our part to eliminate tractor theft and catch the thieves that make their living that way!

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