Report an Agricultural Crime

Only through citizen crime reporting is the Agricultural Patrol Section able to focus on crimes targeting the agricultural areas. Since January 10, 2008, farms and fields in agricultural areas have been targeted with the theft of portable fuel tanks and farm grade diesel fuel, from 100 to 600 gallons each time. Members of the Agricultural Industry are encouraged to protect themselves from being victimized by:

Filing a report of missing inventory, known thefts, cut fences or gate lock chains, criminal mischief, etc.
Reporting location, date and time of occurrence, and the nature of the crime
Notifying Agricultural Patrol personnel with the description of any suspicious activity, person, and vehicle (tag, type, make, model, and color)

Report a Crime with the Miami-Dade Sheriff's Office Watch Order

Nurseries in the Redland Area are being targeted with burglaries and thefts of plants, plastic planting pots, equipment, and fertilizer. Incidents are occurring during and after business hours. Suspects may be casing nurseries during business hours and returning after dark.

Ways to deter suspects from victimizing nurseries:
- Adequately secure all plastic planting pots, equipment, and/or fertilizer away from public view
- Request an Agricultural Patrol Watch Order upon the delivery of large shipments of plastic planting pots, and/or fertilizer
- Make a report of missing inventory, known thefts, cut fences or gate lock chains, etc.
- Notify Agricultural Patrol personnel with the description of any suspicious activity, person, and vehicle (tag, type, make, model, and color)
- All properties should be fenced, gated and well lit
- Ideally, install security cameras in strategic locations of the nursery with a tape backup
- When security cameras are in use, it is imperative that lighting is placed at the same angle as the camera, and not facing the camera. A common mistake occurs when the area lighting faces the camera. This results in the camera only capturing a silhouette instead of a clear image of a subject that can be used for identification at a later date
- Maintain an easily accessible list of the serial number of equipment and the vehicle identification number of all motorized vehicles, such as trucks, tractors, golf carts and trailers
- Engrave equipment and all tools with name of business and the owner's driver license number. Information from social security numbers are not available to the Miami-Dade Sheriff's Office, however, any law enforcement officer can obtain driver's license records
- Enclose pumps in a cage or other structure
- Remove keys from equipment
- Limit key holders
- When possible, store materials not visible from the roadway
- Only order of materials as needed. Do not order surplus quantities
- Nurseries using black planting pots should cut the plastic strap that secures the pots in a stack after they are delivered
- Secure valuables in locked storage areas
- If available, have a caretaker live on the property
- Advise the South Regional Agricultural Patrol Section of all suspicious incidents, like suspicious buyers, people selling chemicals, planting pots or other equipment