GARNETT — Anderson County recently agreed to participate in TRACE, which is Theft Reports of Agriculture and Construction Equipment. TRACE, developed by the Johnson County Sheriff’s Department, offers a free database to track stolen farm and construction equipment. Anderson County Sheriff Vern Valentine told the Anderson County Review the theft of heavy farm and construction equipment such as tractors, backhoes and skid-loaders can be lucrative for the thieves and expensive for owners and insurance companies. Because of its high price tag and demand on the black market, Valentine said thieves can steal a tractor or heavy construction equipment, and pay the cost of hauling it across country or shipping it overseas and still make a tidy sum. TRACE allows owners to quickly register their stolen equipment, which can alert law enforcement officers as well as other farmers, dealers and contractors in the region, he said. Although such thefts have occurred in Anderson County, Valentine said they haven’t been as common as in other neighboring counties.
Wednesday, Sept. 4, 4 p.m.
