ianstone
09-04-2010, 06:46 AM
The long farm of the law: Police force unveils its latest weapon against crime - a....TRACTOR?
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DCI Gene Hunt would have a few choice words to say if he had to fire up this instead of his Quattro.
With a top speed of 25mph, it would hardly be the wheels of choice for a Life on Mars detective and would be hard-pressed to catch anything – let alone a getaway car.
Even so, Lincolnshire Police hope this five-ton tractor could help bring criminals to justice.
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2010/09/02/article-1308297-0B024189000005DC-77_634x484.jpg Crops and robbers: The 25mph tractor has been fitted with a flashing blue light in case of high speed chases
The John Deere 6630, complete with distinctive blue and yellow livery, is being used for Operation Fusion, the force’s initiative against rural crime.
It will appear at agricultural shows to encourage farmers to ‘tag’ their own tractorswith Smartwater, a liquid produced in unique batches that can be seen under UV light to identify the owner.
With a whopping price tag of £50,000, not including the custom paint job, the force can count itself lucky that it is being loaned the tractor by the manufacturer.
The tractor has been kitted out with a flashing blue light, police stripes and badges. The force will have to pay its running costs.
Although serving a rather passive role on a day-to-day basis, senior officers think it might come in handy in the event of severe flooding or an environmental disaster.
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2010/09/02/article-1308297-0B02731F000005DC-553_634x421.jpg CSI Ambridge: The main purpose of the rustic Z-car will be to spearhead the launch of Operation Fusion - an initiative against agricultural crime
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2010/09/03/article-1308297-0B04F1EE000005DC-553_306x421.jpg
Chief Inspector Phil Vickers, who came up with the idea, said: ‘I have taken the tractor out for a spin and it does require some skill to control, so all credit to the guys who do this for a living.
‘The tractor looks like a bit of fun but there is a serious message behind it – that we take rural crime seriously and want to work closely with our local communities. At this time of year agricultural crime can have a big impact on farmers because if a tractor is stolen people can lose their jobs or livelihood.
‘That’s why we are trying to make people aware of all the deterrents that are available and encouraging farmers to avoid becoming victims by tagging their vehicles.’
The cost of altering the vehicle’s standard green livery was paid for by the National Farmers Union following a year in which the value of tractor thefts soared as many were stolen to order for delivery to Eastern Europe and Russia.
More than 2,000 tractors worth £42million were stolen last year, up by a third on 2008.
An NFU spokesman said: ‘Tractors and farm implements seem to be at the top of thieves’ shopping lists at the moment, so NFU is delighted to support Lincolnshire Police in its drive to make farmers aware of how they can better protect their farms.’
P.S. And here are some other ways police are fighting crime in the UK...
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2010/09/02/article-1308297-006507A400000258-302_634x778.jpg Upstanding: An officer in Lancashire gets some funny looks as he rides around Blackpool on a Segway
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2010/09/02/article-1308297-0B0465AE000005DC-382_634x371.jpg Fast: An officer from the Sussex force rides a three-wheeled Can-Am Spyder Roadster touring trike. It has a top speed of 125mph and a 0-60mph acceleration of just 4.5 seconds - the same as a Porsche 911 Carrera
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2010/09/02/article-1308297-0027F2ED00000258-588_634x432.jpg The long blade of the law: Royal Parks police patrol Kensington Gardens, London, on rollerblades
...and around the world
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2010/09/02/article-1308297-0B0474B8000005DC-105_634x313.jpg Flashy: Italy's most senior officer Antonio Manganelli - famed for hunting down Mafia dons - drives this 200mph Lamborghini Gallardo
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2010/09/02/article-1308297-01F243360000044D-576_634x328.jpg Buggies on the beat: Italian Police in charge of protecting the area around the Vatican use a 'Lamborghini Street Model' cart
Read more: [URL]http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1308297/Police-force-unveils-latest-weapon-crime--John-Deere-tractor.html#ixzz0yYYJnG9L (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1308297/Police-force-unveils-latest-weapon-crime--John-Deere-tractor.html)
[/URL]
DCI Gene Hunt would have a few choice words to say if he had to fire up this instead of his Quattro.
With a top speed of 25mph, it would hardly be the wheels of choice for a Life on Mars detective and would be hard-pressed to catch anything – let alone a getaway car.
Even so, Lincolnshire Police hope this five-ton tractor could help bring criminals to justice.
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2010/09/02/article-1308297-0B024189000005DC-77_634x484.jpg Crops and robbers: The 25mph tractor has been fitted with a flashing blue light in case of high speed chases
The John Deere 6630, complete with distinctive blue and yellow livery, is being used for Operation Fusion, the force’s initiative against rural crime.
It will appear at agricultural shows to encourage farmers to ‘tag’ their own tractorswith Smartwater, a liquid produced in unique batches that can be seen under UV light to identify the owner.
With a whopping price tag of £50,000, not including the custom paint job, the force can count itself lucky that it is being loaned the tractor by the manufacturer.
The tractor has been kitted out with a flashing blue light, police stripes and badges. The force will have to pay its running costs.
Although serving a rather passive role on a day-to-day basis, senior officers think it might come in handy in the event of severe flooding or an environmental disaster.
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2010/09/02/article-1308297-0B02731F000005DC-553_634x421.jpg CSI Ambridge: The main purpose of the rustic Z-car will be to spearhead the launch of Operation Fusion - an initiative against agricultural crime
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2010/09/03/article-1308297-0B04F1EE000005DC-553_306x421.jpg
Chief Inspector Phil Vickers, who came up with the idea, said: ‘I have taken the tractor out for a spin and it does require some skill to control, so all credit to the guys who do this for a living.
‘The tractor looks like a bit of fun but there is a serious message behind it – that we take rural crime seriously and want to work closely with our local communities. At this time of year agricultural crime can have a big impact on farmers because if a tractor is stolen people can lose their jobs or livelihood.
‘That’s why we are trying to make people aware of all the deterrents that are available and encouraging farmers to avoid becoming victims by tagging their vehicles.’
The cost of altering the vehicle’s standard green livery was paid for by the National Farmers Union following a year in which the value of tractor thefts soared as many were stolen to order for delivery to Eastern Europe and Russia.
More than 2,000 tractors worth £42million were stolen last year, up by a third on 2008.
An NFU spokesman said: ‘Tractors and farm implements seem to be at the top of thieves’ shopping lists at the moment, so NFU is delighted to support Lincolnshire Police in its drive to make farmers aware of how they can better protect their farms.’
P.S. And here are some other ways police are fighting crime in the UK...
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2010/09/02/article-1308297-006507A400000258-302_634x778.jpg Upstanding: An officer in Lancashire gets some funny looks as he rides around Blackpool on a Segway
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2010/09/02/article-1308297-0B0465AE000005DC-382_634x371.jpg Fast: An officer from the Sussex force rides a three-wheeled Can-Am Spyder Roadster touring trike. It has a top speed of 125mph and a 0-60mph acceleration of just 4.5 seconds - the same as a Porsche 911 Carrera
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2010/09/02/article-1308297-0027F2ED00000258-588_634x432.jpg The long blade of the law: Royal Parks police patrol Kensington Gardens, London, on rollerblades
...and around the world
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2010/09/02/article-1308297-0B0474B8000005DC-105_634x313.jpg Flashy: Italy's most senior officer Antonio Manganelli - famed for hunting down Mafia dons - drives this 200mph Lamborghini Gallardo
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2010/09/02/article-1308297-01F243360000044D-576_634x328.jpg Buggies on the beat: Italian Police in charge of protecting the area around the Vatican use a 'Lamborghini Street Model' cart
Read more: [URL]http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1308297/Police-force-unveils-latest-weapon-crime--John-Deere-tractor.html#ixzz0yYYJnG9L (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1308297/Police-force-unveils-latest-weapon-crime--John-Deere-tractor.html)