By Chris McCall

Copyright dailyrecord

An MSP has demanded answers on whether criminal gangs are targeting Scots farmers to pinch valuable GPS tracking devices and sell them on to army units in Ukraine. Beatrice Wishart raised the issue at Holyrood after a spate of thefts of the £20,000 devices from tractors left parked overnight. Tough economic sanctions imposed on Russia following Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine have caused a soaring black market demand for electronic equipment. The GPS systems can be reconfigured to be used helping guide weaponry on the battlefield. Farmers have reported the thieves ignore other expensive tools and focus instead of lifting the trackers. Thefts from farming businesses across the UK have soared since 2022 – the year the war in Ukraine broke out – with insurance claims for stolen GPS trackers rising by 137 per cent in just a single year. The UK’s National Rural Crime Unit has previously warned stolen equipment was “heading to Eastern Europe, without a doubt”. But the SNP Government last week told Wishart there is no definitive evidence on the issue spreading to Scotland. The Shetland MSP asked what the Government’s response was “to reports suggesting that there is a link between the reported theft of GPS units from farm machinery in Scotland and the war in Ukraine”. Siobhian Brown, the Community Safety Minister, responded: “The Scottish Government is aware of the suggestion that some stolen farm machinery stolen in the UK has made its way to eastern Europe. “However, Police Scotland do not hold enough evidence to confirm that this is a developing trend for machinery stolen Scotland. Officers will continue to investigate all crimes of this nature and trace those responsible.” Wishart has now demanded further detail from SNP ministers. She told the Record: “This is not a very satisfying answer from the Scottish Government. They should set out how many of these units are actually being retrieved by the police. “Farmers find it endlessly frustrating to lose valuable gear like GPS units. It is not just the immediate cost and challenge of securing a replacement so work on the farm can be continue – there’s also the hidden cost of the impact on farmers’ mental health. “Liberal Democrats have called for an increasing emphasis on rural crime, ensuring that people have access to local officers no matter where they live in the country. That would also serve as a deterrent to any GPS thieves eyeing their next strike.” Angela Constance, the Justice Secretary, last week told Wishart the Government “does not hold information specifically on the number of recorded thefts of GPS units from farm machinery or any subsequent prosecutions or convictions for this type of theft.” Cheshire police commissioner Dan Price last year led a joint letter signed by five MPs urging the UK Government urging them to take action to stop the devices being stolen. The letter was also signed by the National Farmers Union (NFU) and the National Rural Crime Unit (NRCU). Price called for immobilisation technology and forensic marking on new GPS equipment. Andy Huddleston, head of the National Rural Crime Unit, said: “In relation to theft of GPS guidance units there is evidence this is being done by eastern European organised crime units, but there is no direct evidence to show that they’re being used in military application.” To sign up to the Daily Record Politics newsletter, click here