District Attorney to Help Prevent Rural Crime

The Tulare County District Attorney's Office is partnering with farmers and ranchers to help prevent theft of farm equipment, commodities, fuel and metals through a "number stamping" tracking system.

The number stamping, known as Owner-Applied Number (OAN), helps law enforcement track and recover stolen goods and acts as a deterrent to thieves. The District Attorney’s Office will issue OANs to farmers and ranchers and maintain these designated numbers in a statewide database.

"Crime should not be a factor in the cost of doing business, especially when that business feeds the world," said Tim Ward, Tulare County District Attorney.

District Attorney Ward added the most common rural crime involves the theft of farm equipment and copper, but farmers and ranchers also suffer thefts of other metals, commodities, fuel and ag chemicals.

The program is funded by the Central Valley Rural Crime Prevention and is designed to help law enforcement in eight San Joaquin Valley counties target thieves who victimize rural communities.