A charity in Northern Ireland is offering a reward of up to £3,500 for information that results in the arrest and conviction of people responsible for rural thefts, particularly quad bikes.

Crimestoppers, the independent charity, has launched the initiative following a recent spate of "high value agricultural thefts in the Fermanagh, Omagh and Mid Ulster areas".

Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) Chief Inspector, Scott Fallis, said: “We hope this cash reward will encourage those with information about recent thefts of items including quad bikes, to tell Crimestoppers what they know.

"The charity guarantees that everyone who contacts them stays 100% anonymous".

PSNI in Fermanagh and Omagh recently warned that there had been a "notable rise in quad thefts, with 10 stolen here in our local area" in the last few weeks.

"Unfortunately, padlocked sheds and CCTV systems haven't been enough to deter this gang," Fermanagh and Omagh PSNI warned earlier this month.

The PSNI confirmed that it has assigned "more resources to patrol rural areas", but it continues to appeal to people in rural areas to report any suspicious vehicles or activity to them.

They have also advised people living in rural areas to take precautions to ensure that they better protect their quads by:

Blocking the entrance to quad storage areas with another secure vehicle;
Chaining the quad to a solid, immovable object;
Considering buying additional security equipment like wheel clamps, floor mounted quad bike locks, GPS tracking devices or alarms.

According to Chief Inspector Fallis the £3,500 reward will be offered for a period of three months up to December 17, 2025. 

"I would urge anyone with knowledge about these recent crimes to please get in touch with the charity by calling their 24/7 contact centre on 0800 555 111 or by visiting their website Crimestoppers-uk.org," he added.