Water is a precious commodity in many parts of the country; and where irrigation is vital for growing crops, keeping the water flowing is essential to agribusiness owners. For many years, the copper used in irrigation systems has been a target for theft. Unfortunately, severe drought conditions in the Southwest have created another threat for farmers: people are tapping into sources and stealing the water itself.

Farm and ranch operations are appealing to thieves because they can easily work undetected in sparsely populated areas. Insurance companies and law enforcement strongly recommend camera monitoring, but traditional surveillance systems are nearly impossible to deploy in these remote locations. MPS offers many types of mobile surveillance products that can fill the gap: pole and wall mounted units, camera trailers, gate and license plate reader pedestals. Most importantly, they are mobile systems that can be moved around to accommodate changing security requirements.

Mobile surveillance solutions from MPS allow agribusiness owners to check on remote property and equipment any time they like and provide recorded video evidence to law enforcement when needed. For more information, call 952-324-5656 today.

In the retail industry, they call it ‘shrink’. The term refers to employee theft or fraudulent activity to steal product for personal use or to be resold. For elevators and co-ops, when an employee allows a truck to load up grain and drive off without completing the proper paperwork or receiving authorization, ‘shrink’ takes on a whole new meaning as one loss can easily be worth more than $10,000.

On the producer end, farmhands who are familiar with an operation have access to storage bins before harvested crops are even transported to local elevators. One reported grain theft scheme extended over several years, with the trusted employee hauling and selling grain under his own name when he knew his employer was on vacation. And there are always the calculating and bold thieves who watch for an opportunity, drive up to a remote farm, load up a truck and drive away, never to be seen again. Losses such as these can hit hard and be difficult to detect until it’s too late when investigation and recovery are nearly impossible.

Recorded video surveillance is a valuable tool for discovering and investigating theft, but the visible presence of camera surveillance is also an excellent deterrent—for both random criminals and employees who may find themselves needing cash and contemplating the risk of siphoning inventory from their employer.

Mobile Pro Systems has a variety of surveillance products with many advantages for agribusiness owners. Each comes with a proprietary built-in application which logs every change to the unit’s operating settings that can be configured to send message notifications to authorized personnel when adjustments are made. The MP Status & Control system adds tremendous value for our customers as it includes a layer of security to discourage employee tampering and is available on every platform we offer.

Whether your operation uses the LPR Station to capture license plate images of vehicles entering and leaving facilities, camera trailers at farmsteads or mounted portable camera systems on buildings, bins or poles, you can count on smarter agribusiness solutions from MPS to help prevent loss and keep your business growing.

From California to the Mississippi Delta region and beyond, rural crime prevention task forces have taken root to combat the increasing losses of crop theft. Citrus fruits, avocados, nuts, and other in-demand produce items can command high prices, particularly after harsh growing seasons affected by fires, floods or drought.

What makes stolen produce even more lucrative, is that it is largely untraceable. Thieves know it can be quietly resold in back-door peddling or efficiently crated to be shipped to another country with no way for buyers to verify where it came from. Once removed from a harvest site or storage facility, the fresh goods seem to simply disappear leaving a crime scene with few clues for law enforcement to follow.

Recorded video is a proven tool which law enforcement can use to expedite investigations and recover stolen crops. But how can producers fight back with surveillance when groves and fields cover hundreds of acres or storage facilities are miles apart?

Plundered crops must be packed and transported from the site, usually in large trucks. Strategically placing mobile surveillance at key points near entrances, exits and travel routes allows video capture which law enforcement officers can access remotely to zoom in on vehicles, make identification and broadcast alerts to surrounding agencies. When verifiable information can be relayed describing the trucks, trailers and persons involved, the chances of apprehension and recovery sharply increase.

Mobile surveillance trailers and towers from Mobile Pro Systems are durable, simple to operate and can be accessed and controlled from any smart phone or device via web interface. Unlike traditional surveillance systems, our Commander 3400 and Falcon 3100 camera trailers can move with your production cycle and be deployed to monitor areas that may be most vulnerable at any given time. Also, the ALPR Pedestal and Gate Sentry towers are ideal for monitoring loading areas and facilities. No matter the size or location of your agribusiness, we will work with you to find a security solution that yields results.

It sounds like something from the well-worn pages of a Western novel: the bad guys sneak in the dead of night, round-up the livestock, and drive the herd away. Except modern day rustlers use horsepower instead of horseback and head for the nearest highway. They know it will be hours or possibly days before their heist is detected. Whether they’re small-time pickers going after a couple of calves or an organized ring filling a semi-truck, rustlers are taking full advantage of the proverbial ‘cash cow’.

Of course, it’s not just cattle that are targeted—any type of livestock is at risk. Ranchers and farmers are commonly advised to register branded or tagged animals, rotate feeding schedules, lock gates, maintain fences and add lighting. But crooks will find a way around any measure if they don’t believe they’ll be caught in the act and the payoff is worth it.

Video surveillance is a time-tested method of monitoring and identifying criminal activity, but conventional closed-circuit cameras and alarm systems have not proven to be the most practical solution for agricultural facilities. Mobile Pro Systems’ products, however, are different: they were engineered for deployment where power sources may be limited and are meant to provide accessible, remote viewing capabilities.

Mobile Pro offers a full range of mobile surveillance systems including pole or building mounts, trailers, and towers to help you take back the reins on theft and safeguard your property. If you have concerns about how to secure a particular facility or location, we’re here to help: 952-324-5656.