Jeonnam Police Conduct Theft Prevention Activities During Harvest Season to Alleviate Farmers' Anxiety

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Chunsu] Amid rising agricultural product prices due to this year's heavy rains, typhoons, and raw material price increases, theft damage during the harvest season is expected to be severe.

The Jeollanam-do Police Agency (Chief Lee Choong-ho) and the Jeonnam Autonomous Police Committee (Chairman Jo Man-hyung) announced on the 24th that they are conducting enhanced theft prevention activities for agricultural products for 72 days from September 20 to November 30 to alleviate farmers' anxiety.

First, to diagnose issues such as crime-prone areas for agricultural products, a survey was conducted targeting 1,415 residents to gather opinions on vulnerable locations and necessary facilities.

As a result, many opinions called for the installation of CCTV and strengthening patrol activities around agricultural cultivation areas.

Accordingly, alongside the village self-defense crime prevention CCTV installation project currently promoted by the Jeonnam Police Agency, they are actively utilizing crime prevention infrastructure by installing 52 CCTV units at 16 locations and 142 mobile solar-powered CCTV units at 115 locations in theft-prone agricultural areas, using surplus computers that significantly reduce costs.

Additionally, by analyzing past agricultural product theft statistics, patrol routes have been adjusted to reflect areas with frequent theft damage and locations requested by residents, and visible patrol activities are being conducted in necessary places in cooperation with volunteer crime prevention groups.

To deter crime psychologically and raise self-defense awareness, banners have been posted on main roads and village entrances and exits, warning signs attached around large agricultural warehouses and cultivation areas, and promotional activities about agricultural product theft cases and methods are being carried out targeting farmers through participation in village head meetings.

As a result, agricultural product theft decreased by 36.4% compared to the same period, and efforts will continue to ensure farmers can feel secure through theft prevention activities.

The Jeollanam-do Police Agency and Jeonnam Autonomous Police Committee stated, “We will do our best in safe policing activities to ensure that there are no cases that hurt farmers' hearts due to agricultural product theft by identifying and eliminating risk factors that make residents anxious through problem-solving police activities.”