Hollister
– The San Benito County Sheriff’s department joined the
Agricultural Crime Technology Information and Operations Network
last week to get additional resources in the fight against rural
crime.
Hollister – The San Benito County Sheriff’s department joined the Agricultural Crime Technology Information and Operations Network last week to get additional resources in the fight against rural crime.
ACTION is a partnership of Agricultural Commissioners Offices, District Attorney Offices and Sheriff’s Departments throughout the Central Coast designed to aid its members in all aspects of rural crime enforcement, from making arrests to prosecuting criminals, said Lt. Roy Iler.
“We know farmers and ranchers work hard,” he said. “We try to prevent all the agricultural crime we can, but we can’t be out there 24 hours a day. This gives us another tool to track down stolen equipment.”
Sheriff’s deputies will be able to tap into ACTION’s surveillance equipment, agricultural crime database, communication network and specialized training programs, Iler said.
The most common type of agricultural or rural crime in San Benito County is theft, said Sgt. Jeff Goodwin. Goodwin, who will serve as the department’s ACTION representative, said thieves steal everything from tractors and tools to seeds and chemicals. ACTION’s Owner Applied Number program will be vital in preventing theft and recovering stolen property, Goodwin said.
The OAN program allows farmers and ranchers to get their own number, like a serial number, assigned to their equipment. The numbers are unique to both the owner and the piece of equipment. The numbers are entered into ACTION’s database, Goodwin said. If the equipment is stolen, ACTION lists the item on its website, alerting law enforcement agencies throughout the region.
“It makes it easier to identify stolen property,” Goodwin said. “Tractors usually have serial numbers, but its not easy to find out just who owned it last, or who sold it to another person. OAN numbers solve that problem.”
Iler said the OAN program will help deputies “recover more stolen property than ever before.”
ACTION’s computer crime database will also help deputies to track rural crime hot spots and trends throughout the region, Goodwin said.
Joining ACTION will send a clear message for thieves to beware, said San Benito County Agriculture Commissioner Paul Matulich.
“At least they will know there is somebody out there looking,” he said. “For years thieves have had free reign stealing stuff and selling it on the black market.”
Matulich said ACTION was an “outstanding deal” and will help prevent theft.
District Attorney John Sarsfield agreed.
“I’m all for it,” he said. “It’s a very good idea.”
Being able to track stolen equipment with OAN programs, he said, would make prosecuting criminals easier.
Brett Rowland covers public safety for the Free Lance. He can be reached at 831-637-5566 ext. 330 or [email protected].
