Vrystaat Landbou (VL) doen ’n beroep op alle landbouers in die graanbedryf om ekstra maatreëls in plek te stel om hul graan en mielies teen diefstal te beskerm. Só sê dr Jane Buys, Veiligheidsrisiko-analis van VL.

Volgens haar is dit jaarliks ’n gegewe dat groot hoeveelhede hiervan ná strooptyd tydens die vervoer na silo’s gesteel word. “Tonne graan en mielies, vanaf trokke wat tydens nagtelike ure op landerye geberg word, word ook gesteel,” sê sy.

Buys meen landbouers moet seker maak hul graan en mielies word wel by die silo’s afgelaai. Misdadigers met bakkies, sleepwaens en selfs ander trokke sal ook in die nag met dromme of emmers graan en mielies vanaf trokke wat op landerye staan steel. Trokke met vragte word ook geteiken en die hele vrag soms gesteel.

Farmers must guard against grain theft after harvesting warns Free State Agriculture

Free State Agriculture (FSA) calls on all farmers in the grain industry to put in place additional measures to protect their grain and maize from theft. This is according to Dr Jane Buys, Security Risk Analyst of FSA.

She says it happens every year that large quantities are stolen while it is transported to the silos. “Tons of grain and maize are also stolen from trucks kept on farms during the night,” she says.

According to her farmers need to make sure their grain and maize reach the silos. Criminals with pickups, trailers and even other trucks will also operate at night with drums or buckets and steal grain and maize from trucks standing on fields. Trucks with loads of grain and maize are also targeted and the entire load sometimes stolen.

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