Bureau County Sheriff warns of increase in rural farm thefts

Bureau County Sheriff Jim Reed issued a news release Wednesday, warning residents of an increase in amount of in-field and on-farm thefts of precision ag products such as displays and GPS receivers.

Reed said most of the reported thefts have been from unoccupied machines and vehicles that have been left idle in the field, on farm lots and in sheds.

Reed indicated there has been an increase in thefts of other items from machine sheds as well across the Midwest.

Reed recommends the residents secure their items and report any suspicious activity to the sheriff’s office or local law enforcement agency. Keeping a record of important items including their serial and model numbers also can be helpful in case of a theft.

If you have questions or further information on these thefts, contact the Bureau County Sheriff’s Office at 815-875-3344.