Stop Me! stickers have been given to farmers to place on agricultural vehicles across East Cambridgeshire to help crack down on theft.

They are part of a joint initiative between Cambridgeshire Police and East Cambridgeshire Community Safety Partnership, and funded by the Cambridgeshire Police and Crime Commissioner.

The bright yellow stickers bear the words “Police Stop Me if you see me between 10pm and 5am”

The idea is that if agricultural equipment is seen on the roads between those hours by officers they can stop and check the item to ensure it is being used by the rightful owners.

Agricultural equipment is frequently targeted by criminals who either sell it on or use it to commit other offences such as ATM raids.

Police Sargent Tom Nuttall, from the force’s Rural Crime Action Team (RCAT) said: “We use different tactics to try and disrupt and prevent agricultural crimes – this being one of them. We know these stickers won’t necessarily stop a theft, but they will make owners, criminals, the public and police officers more aware of agricultural equipment theft.

“If we stop one piece of agricultural equipment from being stolen because of these stickers they have done their job.”

Jo Johnson Andow, Community Safety and Projects Support Officer for East Cambridgeshire Community Safety Partnership, said: “Cambridgeshire is one of the highest areas for agricultural theft in the country. While these stickers themselves will not necessarily prevent thefts, they go a long way to helping raise the issue.”