Highlands and Islands MSP Jamie Halcro Johnston has joined a range of organisations and MSPs at the Scottish Parliament to support Rachael Hamilton MSP’s Equipment Theft Bill.
Rural crime and equipment theft is a growing problem for communities right across the Highlands and Islands, often leaving farmers and small businesses with large replacement costs and without important machinery such as quad bikes.
Mr Halcro Johnston said:
"The theft of important agricultural equipment is just another challenge our farmers face.
"It is a growing problem, one that is leaving farmers across the Highlands and Islands struggling without with some of the key pieces of machinery they need everyday to run their farms.
"Equipment like quad bikes are a now a vital bit of kit for farmers to do their job and the loss of a bike, as well as the replacement costs and time wasted dealing with the theft, just makes the job that bit harder and take longer.
"Farmers need better protection from these crimes and I fully support my Scottish Conservative colleague Rachael Hamilton’s efforts to bring forward legislation that will bring us in line with the Equipment Theft (Prevention) Act put forward by our UK Conservative colleagues in 2023.
“I know from speaking to farming colleagues across the Highlands and Islands, including in Orkney where we farm, that there is an urgent need to address rising crime rates in order to better protect our rural businesses.
"I hope Rachael's bill will do that and I look forward to supporting it as it progresses through to becoming law".
