The government plans to introduce new regulations later this year to tackle machinery theft, including mandatory forensic marking of all new ATVs and GPS units, with details registered on a database.
A Home Office call for evidence, which received over 200 responses, helped shape the rules, covering definitions, marking specifications, and registration requirements.
Policing and Crime Minister Sarah Jones highlighted that around 900–1,200 quad bikes and ATVs are stolen annually in England and Wales, often due to a lack of security. Forensic marking aims to make stolen equipment harder to sell, acting as a deterrent.
Theft is also common at equestrian premises, often because their rural locations make them more isolated and harder to monitor. Valuable equipment such as ATVs and trailers can be targeted, and the lack of visible security measures can make these sites especially vulnerable to opportunistic thieves.
However, the regulations will not require immobilisers on new ATVs, due to safety concerns under existing Type Approval rules, and larger agricultural machinery is not included at this stage, though future expansions are possible.
The NFU welcomed the move, particularly the inclusion of removable GPS units, but noted disappointment that key measures—like immobilisers for ATVs and protections for larger machinery—were left out. NFU Vice-President Rachel Hallos said while the step is positive, it falls short of fully deterring organised crime targeting the sector.