Tiny battery-powered tracker helps combat farm thefts

Farmers on the receiving end of the latest rural crime wave have another tool in their defensive arsenal after security specialist Meta Trak unveiled a new discreet tracker.

The matchbox-sized Pulsar unit is waterproof and battery powered, meaning it can be hidden in the most obscure of places without a hardwired link to a power source.

It is left in sleep mode for the most part, waking up to three times over a 24-hour period to provide an update of its position via a smartphone app. This limits power use, says Meta Trak, and means the pair of replaceable batteries will last up to three years.

However, it will send an alert if it passes an adjustable virtual fence around its location and users can activate theft mode if the item is pinched. In this case, it will provide a location ping every 60 seconds from anywhere in Europe and a 24/7 support team will liaise with police to track it down.

The system is Thatcham S7-approved, meaning owners could well bag a saving on their insurance premium.

It costs £299, including a three-year service package.