Plaid Collar Crime

Plaid Collar Crime is the term given to describe crimes that are committed against farmers. Another common name for these acts is Rural Commodity Theft. The scope of the crimes generally involve theft of farm equipment or crops.

A serious issue

Over the last few years the number of cases of plaid collar crime have grown extensively. While these crimes are generally non-violent and often not considered to be newsworthy, the overall cost to the American economy is surprisingly high. According to one report, the annual fiscal result of this crime comes out to more than ten billion dollars, which leads to an approximated $33 per year charged to tax payers to help cover this high cost.

Frequently stolen items

A variety of products, crops and merchandise are stolen from farms every year. Any farming equipment that can be sold for a profit is a common target for thieves, and some criminals will also steal large amounts of crops such as almonds and other fruits and nuts that are sold at high rates by the pound.

In some states, cattle are even stolen right off of farms. Reports from an investigation done in Texas in 2006 showed that more than 5,000 stolen cattle had been retrieved and returned to the proper owners. The dollar amount for that cattle was over an astonishing 3.5 million!

Copper thieves have also targeted farms. These criminals literally rip the copper piping right out of the walls of any building and then sell it for a large profit. Any standing structure that contains copper is a likely target for these thieves.

Timber

Another item that is frequently stolen from farms is timber. Prices offered for lumber continue to go up in America, so it becomes a more profitable item to sell to retailers. This leads to more theft of timber from farms and other rural sites.

The end result of studies about plaid collar crime shows that while certain equipment, crops and even cattle are the primary targets, most anything that can be stolen from a farm has been.

Stopping thieves

One of the primary methods that law enforcement agencies are using to catch plaid collar criminals is forcing retailers to keep receipts for any products they purchase. That way when a farmer reports stolen property, the receipts may help lead officers to the thieves.

Plaid collar crime may not be commonly discussed or acknowledged by the general public, but it is a serious issue that affects the livelihood of farmers as well as the national economy. As with any type of crime, law enforcement agencies are working diligently to find new methods to identify and stop these criminals.

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