Scottish PARC

22/04/2026

FUEL THEFT INCREASE

Police Scotland Crime Prevention Officers continue to see a rise in fuel thefts across all areas of the country.
Much of this can be attributed to the recent in fuel prices and speculation about potential fuel shortages.
All types of fuel are being targeted.

We would like to remind you of some simple measures you can take to protect your fuel for your homes, vehicles and businesses.

Keep the tank visible: Where possible locate the tank where it can be viewed from a habitable building and where increased natural surveillance can be maximized, such as insight of a farmhouse or construction site offices, especially the security office if it is occupied during the night.

Reduce access points: Keep access points to the fuel depot on sites to a minimum, keep gates closed and locked and block exit points that are not used.

Use SBD (Secured by Design) approved standards: Consider the introduction of perimeter fencing and associated gates

Fit an alarm : Fit a fuel tank alarm and monitoring system to notify you of an attack on fuel tanks. Remote electronic fuel level gauges will set off an audible or monitored alarm if the fuel level in the tank suddenly drops or falls below a defined level.

Use anti-siphoning devices : Fuel tanks should also be fitted with a locking fuel cap and anti-siphoning devices.

Consider a detection system : On high-risk exposed sites, an additional detection system should be considered such as a Perimeter Intrusion Detection System (PIDS).

Restrict access : Where a perimeter treatment is not a suitable option, consider the introduction of bollards or other vehicle mitigation measures which will help restrict easy access to the fuel storage asset.

Implement management systems: A fuel Management system can be crucial to identify fuel theft, especially where there may be many users or the tank is located out of sight.

Minimise the amount of fuel on site: Particularly on remote or rural sites where staff or residents are not present 24/7 keep fuel stores to a minimum wherever practicable.

Report suspicious sightings: Any sightings of suspicious persons or vehicles, particularly at the time of, or shortly after fuel deliveries - Contact the Police via 101 or Contact Police Scotland - Police Scotland

Thieves are well prepared and can take large amounts at one go, using IBC tanks in converted vans.

Neighbourhood Watch Scotland NFU Scotland Scottish Land & Estates Scottish Crofting Federation SAYFC Young Farmers Forestry and Land Scotland

12/03/2026

SPARCi visited the gateway to the Highlands at Inverness this morning, stopping by the castle, before trying out a quad bike for size.
Mountains, lochs, forestry, stunning beaches and home to the Highland cow and the midge. Thankfully, it is too early in the season for the midges to be about. Crofting is unique to this area, a way of renting, owning and using land. An average croft is about 5 Hectares with many crofters using common grazing to supplement their livestock, whilst working other jobs.
14 weeks to

Scottish Land & Estates NFU Scotland SAYFC Young Farmers Neighbourhood Watch Scotland NFU Mutual BHS Scotland Scottish Crofting Federation RHASS

08/03/2026

🐑 Lambing Season – A Reminder for Dog Walkers

Officers from Police Scotland working alongside the Scottish Partnership Against Rural Crime (SPARC) are reminding dog owners to act responsibly while enjoying the countryside during lambing season.

Livestock worrying can cause serious injury or death to sheep and has a significant emotional and financial impact on farmers.

If you’re walking your dog near farmland, please remember:

🔹 Keep your dog on a lead around livestock
🔹 Stick to paths and stay alert for grazing animals
🔹 Ensure your garden and property are secure to prevent dogs escaping

Livestock worrying is a criminal offence and incidents will be investigated.

👩‍🌾 Farmers and livestock keepers:
If an incident occurs, please report it to police as soon as possible so evidence can be secured and action taken. Call 101 or report online

Protecting Scotland’s rural communities works best when we all work together.
NFU Scotland Scottish Land & Estates Royal Kennel Club Neighbourhood Watch Scotland NFU Mutual VisitScotland

07/03/2026

🐴✨ SPARCi is on the road to the Royal Highland Show 2026! ✨🐴

SPARCi had a fantastic day out with the British Horse Society at the Scottish Stallion Show at Morris Equestrian Centre! It was brilliant meeting so many new friends from the equestrian community. 🤝

Throughout the day SPARCi was busy helping to spread the word about the Horse iApp 📱 — a great tool to help horse owners record and protect important information about their horses are out hacking. We also chatted with visitors about practical ways to protect your trailers and tack from theft, helping keep our rural communities and equestrian equipment safe. 🔒

Thank you to everyone who stopped by to say hello and learn more!

🚜🐎 Next stop will be released next week… the Royal Highland Show 2026! We can’t wait to see even more of you along the way.

04/03/2026

On Tuesday 3rd March PC Sellars joined ParkMark at Route 74, London Road, Glasgow to present them with their ParkMark Freight award.

Park Mark Freight is a new and comprehensive assessment specifically for lorry parks and truck stops, developed in response to the rise in cargo theft in recent years and the Department for Transport's policies for improving roadside facilities for drivers.

Park Mark Freight builds upon the Safer Parking Scheme’s Park Mark Award by introducing essential criteria for security, safety, hygiene and comfort, a police assessment is required to achieve the Park Mark Freight standards.

You can find ParkMark accredited facilities at ParkMark - Home
.

British Parking Association Neighbourhood Watch Scotland Police Scotland Greater Glasgow

02/03/2026

On 24th February 2026 officers from Police Scotland preventions teams teamed up with Wicks and DeterTec to provide advice and offer forensic marking for tools.

Tool theft has become particularly prevalent and the theft of tools from vans sheds and workshops has a significant impact on the victims. The impact of tool theft is not just financial, the stress caused by dealing with theft and the disruption to work can lead to cancelled jobs and loss of income, there can be project delays, reputational damage, and additional costs for repairs and replacements.

Using forensic marking solutions and the associated signage can deter thieves in the first instance and when tools are recovered by Police they can be returned to their rightful owner.
Police Scotland Fife

02/03/2026

SPARCi joined members of the North Police Scotland North East Rural Crime Team and Lindsay and Graeme from the team at Royal Northern Spring Show at ANM Group Ltd to start her journey to RHASS at Ingliston in June. To celebrate 10 years of Scottish Partnership Against Rural Crime, SPARCi will be visiting every corner of Scotland over the next 10 weeks.
NFU Scotland NFU Mutual BHS Scotland Scottish Land & Estates Neighbourhood Watch Scotland SAYFC Young Farmers Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) Historic Environment Scotland Food Standards Scotland Scottish Crofting Federation Royal Kennel Club

26/02/2026

The importance of passwords, cyber awareness and business resilience cannot be understated, particularly in modern dairy units.
Neighbourhood Watch Scotland Police Scotland Dumfries & Galloway Police Scotland Lanarkshire Police Scotland Ayrshire Neighbourhood Watch Scotland

📲 It is day 2 of CyberScotland Week 2026.

Matt speaks with John Cowan from SPARC (Scottish Partnership Against Rural Crime) and Police Scotland about rural crime in general, how it’s changing, and what that means for farms across Scotland.

John talks through the biggest rural‑crime trends right now, from theft of machinery to livestock crime, and explains how criminals are increasingly targeting farms that may be seen as vulnerable or isolated. He also highlights the growing role of serious organised crime groups and why community vigilance and better reporting are so important.

🎥 Watch the interview here: https://www.digitaldairychain.co.uk/rural-crime-changing-threats-and-what-this-means-for-farms/

23/02/2026

Cyber security on farm comes into focus this week of awareness. We are teaming up with Digital Dairy Chain for a series of blogs highlighting the need for every business from producer to processor and retailer to protect the food chain from cyber threats.

Scottish Land & Estates Scottish Crofting Federation NFU Scotland NFU Mutual BHS Scotland Lancashire Police Lanarkshire Partnership Against Rural Crime LPARC Ayrshire Partnership Against Rural Crime APARC Neighbourhood Watch Scotland

📲 It is CyberWeek Scotland 2026! Throughout the week, we’ll be sharing daily blog posts and interviews with farmers, tech specialists and cyber professionals. We’ll explore real stories from the sector, practical steps to boost security, and guidance tailored for rural enterprises. From securing your internet-connected machinery to training your staff to spot scams, these insights are designed to help every business, large or small, strengthen its digital defences.

Today we kick off with a blog from SRUC Reader in Dairy Agri-tech, Matthew Broadbent who outlines why cyber security is so critical now to farming and and the challenges farmers face when trying to ensure their businesses and data are protected.

Cyber security might sound technical, but at its heart it’s about business continuity, reputation, and safety. Over the next few days, we’ll show how simple, practical steps can make a real difference.

➡️ Read today's blog: https://www.digitaldairychain.co.uk/cyber-security-and-the-modern-farm-news-digital-dairy-chain/





Lancashire Police

11/02/2026

Fantastic night with the BHS Scotland and Scottish Fire & Rescue Service delivering on Trailer safety and emergency situations at Bogenraith Equestrian Centre in Aberdeen