The cost of parts has increased dramatically since production of the iconic 4X4 vehicle ceased in December 2015 causing police to fear a spike in them being targeted by criminals.
Now Durham Police have embarked on an ambitious campaign to mark Land Rovers throughout Teesdale with special stickers and ultra-violet fluid.
The operation began at Barnard Castle Auction Mart on Wednesday, August 9, with Special Constable Ross Moralee and PC Gary Dunn talking to farmers about the worries and offering to mark their Defenders free of charge.
Special Constable Moralee said: “A couple of years ago there was a spate of Land Rover thefts. Not only vehicles, but parts too.
“This is us pre-empting anything coming through because the value of parts has sky-rocketed.”
He explained that the basic Defender design had remained unchanged since the 1960s so parts from old vehicles are interchangeable with newer models.
PC Dunn said that the system worked by giving a unique set of codes to each vehicle so parts could be identified if they are recovered after being stolen.
Three different types of stickers are used for plastic, metal and glass parts.
Once applied over the sticker, the ultra-violet fluid seeps through a series of small holes and becomes ingrained into the paintwork.
PC Dunn said: “People might think they can pull the sticker off but we can still see the code using ultra violet light.
“They would have to grind off the paint to get rid off it.
“The theory is it is took much effort to sand down and repaint the parts,” he added.
Farmers interested in having their vehicles marked can contact police on 101.
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