Rural Criminals Use Drones to Scout Property

Tim Hammerich

News Reporter

Farmers and ranchers can sometimes be the target of rural crime. Perpetrators are now surveying remote areas with drones to identify property to target. Sergeant James Currie is with the Solano County Sheriff's office focused on rural crime.

Sgt Currie… “It's the first time we've really dealt with it. We've dealt with drones in a positive manner. I know agriculture uses drones for different things. But, this is the first time we actually heard about it, and I started reaching out to people. I found out that Sonoma County was having some issues with some animal and environmental activists that were using it and gaining access to their dairies and stuff. But, it was brand new to us.”

Sergeant Currie says to notify the sheriff’s office if you notice any suspicious drone activity over your property.

Sgt Currie… “There's stuff out there now, alarm companies, and there's companies that make detection devices for drones. Some of them just detect them and some actually can actually land them or tell you where the operator is. Of course there's different costs associated with these systems, but they have some pretty elaborate systems. The big thing is if you start seeing one and they don't use one, to report it to us so we can try to figure it out.”

Sergeant Currie is also a member of the California Rural Crime Prevention Task Force and the Western Livestock Investigators.