Rural Crime

**Please call ahead to order the signs. The Farm Bureau does not always have signs in stock and we don't want you to make a trip to the office just to leave empty-handed.**

Rural Crime

Rural properties have unique risk factors not always associated with properties in city limits. They are often isolated and off the beaten path which may make them an attractive target for thieves. In addition, they may have barns or storage areas not well secured and parts, piping, or other farm equipment in fields or other outdoor locations with minimal security. Unfortunately, many stolen items are unmarked and untraceable thus making resale easy and recovery difficult.

Our Commitment to Fight Rural Crime

The Yolo County Sheriff’s Office is committed to helping rural property owners minimize crime by working together with property owners. In addition to our primary services, the YCSO has specifically created a Rural Crime Task Force whose primary focus is on rural crime. They work hand-in-hand with our rural community by developing relationships, communication, education, and the investigation of rural crime activities.

The Sheriff’s Team of Active Retired Seniors developed a program to assist in the marking of farming/household equipment with the application of Owner Applied Numbers uniquely developed for each property owner. See additional information on this brochure for details. In addition, the STARS will provide extra patrol, vacation house watch, or the placement of a decoy car to deter criminal activity and/or traffic control.

Yolo County Sheriff in Partnership with the Yolo County Farm Bureau

The Sheriff’s Office partners with the Yolo County Farm Bureau to combat the issues of rural crime. The Farm Bureau is an advocate for local farmers with a focus on raising awareness, resolving issues, and educating our community. For membership information, go to www.yolofarmbureau.org or call 520-663-6316.

Posting warning signs is an inexpensive way to alert criminals that you are serious about crime prevention. We created signage specifically for rural properties. Rural Crime Task Force sign may be purchased at the Yolo County Farm Bureau at 69 West Kentucky Avenue in Woodland.

More Ways to Stay Alert

• Sign up for NextDoor.com to communicate on-line with neighbors and post important information about crime or other activities in your area.
• Sign up for Yolo Alert, a program serving Yolo, Solano, and Sacramento County to receive text or phone alerts regarding emergency alerts in your area: www.yolo-alert.org.

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Tips for Reducing Crime

• Obtain and mark property with an Owner Applied Number (OAN) or other unique number such as your driver’s license.
• Immediately report theft of suspicious activities to dispatch at 530-666-8282 or life threatening activity to 9-1-1.
• Make note of license plates, vehicle or person descriptions, direction of travel, and any other unique characteristics.
• If possible, lock equipment inside barn or shed each night making sure windows and doors are secure.
• Install audible alarms and motion light detectors on all outbuildings.
• Removes rotors, distributors caps, or batteries from motorized equipment left outside for long periods of time.
• Remove all equipment or tools from back of pickup trucks.
• Utilize locked tool boxes.
• Secure gas pumps, gas tanks, storage bins, and grain elevators with pad locks with hardened steel hasps or dead bolts with one-inch throw.
• Lock up chemicals, if stolen, they can be resold.
• Keep storage areas neat and well-organized to keep track of equipment and discourage potential thieves.
• Maintain an inventory list of equipment with engine numbers, make and model, year, color, capacity, or any other information to help identify your items.

What is OAN?

The Owner Applied Number Program (OAN) is a nationally established system created to help track and prevent theft and stolen property for the rural property owner. The number assigned to you is uniquely yours and will be stored in the National Crime Information Center which can be traced to you anywhere in United States.

The first two numbers stand for the state (CA), the next three numbers stand for the county (504), the next four numbers are uniquely selected (0001) and the last letter is the first letter of the owner’s last name.

The number can be stamped, engraved, painted, or branded onto all of your farm equipment, tools, containers, tires, etc. The Yolo County Sheriff’s Office STARS volunteers offer this service free of charge to Yolo County Residents.

The YC Sheriff's Office is committed to help reduce rural crime in Yolo County and this program can be instrumental in deterring criminals and retrieving stolen property anywhere in the United States.

If you are interested in applying for an OAN number, please fill out the brochure attached on this page.

Large 24"x18"
$90

Rural Crime Task Force Brochure