The new regulations, confirmed as part of the UK government’s response to the Home Office’s call for evidence on extending the Equipment Theft Act 2023, will require all new ATVs and GPS units to be marked with unique forensic identifiers and registered on a national database.

Ms Lockhart, the DUP’s Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs spokesperson said: “This is a very positive development and one that will be warmly welcomed by farming communities across the UK.

“I will be liaising with Stormont’s Justice Minister to ensure that these measures are considered and enacted in Northern Ireland.

“Rural crime, and particularly the theft of farm machinery and GPS equipment, has been a persistent blight on rural areas throughout Northern Ireland.

“For too long, organised criminal gangs have targeted our farms, stealing quads, tractors, machinery and GPS units — often exporting them abroad and leaving farmers facing huge financial losses and disruption to their livelihoods.

“The government’s proposed forensic marking requirements will make it significantly harder for thieves to handle and sell on stolen equipment. The measures will help the PSNI and police forces across the UK to identify and recover stolen equipment more effectively.”

Carla Lockhart MP added: “The new legislation, set to be introduced in Parliament this year, reflects years of campaigning from farming unions and rural representatives within the agricultural sector.

“This is a victory for our farmers and for everyone who has campaigned tirelessly to get rural crime taken more seriously at Westminster. I want to commend the NFU, the National Rural Crime Unit, and my parliamentary colleagues who have worked to bring this legislation forward.”

“However, we must recognise that this is not the end of the road. The criminal networks involved in these thefts are highly organised and sophisticated. We need to continue working to strengthen deterrents — including looking at immobilisers, improved tracking standards, and better cross-border co-operation to tackle rural crime effectively.”

Ms Lockhart said that while the introduction of forensic marking is a major step forward, further action would be required to ensure Northern Ireland’s farming families and rural businesses are properly protected.

“Farmers in Northern Ireland have seen first-hand the emotional and financial toll of rural theft. I will continue to press for robust enforcement and for resources to be directed to the PSNI’s rural crime units so that offenders are caught and brought to justice.



“These new measures show that progress is being made, but our goal must be to make Northern Ireland a no-go area for those who prey on agri-businesses and rural communities.”