AN ANGUS businessman has hit out at thieves who have targeted his rural premises several times.
Despite making his business a stronghold, Graham Fleming said he can do no more to protect GLF Forklift & Handling Services in Craichie.
He fears his outfit is “being watched” and has called on Tayside Police to make rural policing a priority after the end of its festive drink-driving campaign.
Two months since a £20,000 raid on his property, engines and forklift supplies were stolen last week marking the fourth such raid at Craichie Mill Farm.
Thieves took two Peugeot diesel engines, four pairs of steel forklift forks, a front digger hub, heavy duty batteries and a metal tub containing scrap metal.
Mr Fleming said: “We’re undoubtedly being watched.
“We’ve been hit four times now, but they can’t get in because we’ve boosted up the security so much.
“We’ve done everything Tayside Police have asked, and done all the Smartwater (secure marking) stuff.
“It’s been very expensive to pay for all the extra cameras and lighting, but there’s only so much I can guard against it.”
Mr Fleming’s business was robbed of up to £20,000 of metal in November, and the thieves had the temerity to return the next day.
He found the locks of the large stone shed cut off after the thieves had redirected a CCTV camera away from the front of the building and covered a security light.
Once inside they discovered a trove of high-value machinery and equipment.
Stunned by the scale of the raid, Mr Fleming had a suspicion the culprits might return, an inkling that proved well-founded.
Only the foresight to park a JCB in front of a shed kept its contents safe and the criminals even tried to move the digger.
Mr Fleming is calling for a concerted police effort to keep offenders away from rural businesses and farms.
“It’s just like your house getting burgled every day of the week,” he added. “Police wouldn’t allow that.
“I’m concerned about the number of break-ins rurally, and we need the police to clamp down on burglary of farms and businesses.”
A Tayside Police spokeswoman said an appeal had gone out for witnesses and officers are giving the area attention.
She added: “Like other parts of Scotland and the UK, Tayside is not immune to crimes involving metal theft and Tayside Police work in partnership with organisations and businesses at a local and national level to identify those committing these crimes.
“As part of this, officers liaise with rural communities and provide crime prevention advice and assistance, regularly carrying out patrols in areas identified as particularly vulnerable to these types of theft.
“Clearly there is a black market for all kinds of metal and the police engage with those in the scrap metal business to try and seek their assistance in tackling this issue.
“The use of Smartwater can be used to uniquely mark high-value items and machinery, this assists in deterring thieves and identifying stolen property.
“Rural businesses interested in taking part in this scheme should contact Tayside Police on 0300 111 2222.
“Tayside Police would urge residents living in rural communities to be vigilant, and report any suspicious people, vehicles or activity. In an emergency contact 999.”
riwatt@thecourier.co.uk