Eight-ton crime-fighter gives English police muscle

English police have eight tons of muscle behind crime-fighting efforts: an outfitted John Deere tractor.
English police have eight tons of muscle behind crime-fighting efforts: an outfitted John Deere tractor.
English police have a not-so-secret weapon when it comes to fighting agricultural crime, since it's kind of hard to hide an eight-ton behemoth.

The Devon and Cornwall police department outfitted a John Deere 6630 tractor with a official badges, blue flashing lights and police stripes, according to a published report. But they hope people take necessary precautions before having to unleash the monstrosity that travels at a top speed of 25 miles per hour.

"We're trying to make things difficult to be taken, by identifying items, photographing them and having paperwork with makes, models and colors," said Alan Lenton of the Devon and Cornwall police department.

The tractor was lent to Devon and Cornwall by the Lincolnshire police department.

As a significant part of a program called Farmwatch, the tractor is the perfect partner to help reduce agriculture crime, which is on the rise. Rural homes and farms also are reporting increased amounts of thefts of heating oil.

Worth £50,000 (more than $80,000), the tractor has 150 bhp of power and it assists the department raise awareness for those rising crimes while also encouraging farmers to closely watch their personal property. It also can be used during environmental disasters.