Spate of GPS thefts from Swiss tractors

Spate of thefts of GPS systems for tractors in Switzerland Keystone-SDA

Organised gangs are targeting GPS systems fitted to tractors and combine harvesters, leading to a surge of thefts in Switzerland.

In the canton of Vaud alone, 20 cases have already been recorded in 2026 – a staggering increase compared with the average of two to six thefts per year recorded between 2021 and 2025, the SonntagsBlick reports.

But the problem does not stop at the Vaud border. In the canton of Bern the police have reported a spate of incidents over the last two months.

Even in Thurgau, where no such incidents had ever been recorded until this year, there have been five thefts in 2026, with total losses amounting to several hundred thousand francs. In the canton of Solothurn, four John Deere tractors were targeted in June, causing damage amounting to tens of thousands of francs.

The criminals operate with surgical precision and target only John Deere technology, which is known for being easy to dismantle and for its high value on the black market. According to the Sunday newspaper, each stolen GPS system can fetch between CHF10,000 and CHF30,000.

The police rule out the possibility of opportunistic thefts. According to investigators, these are specialised groups with technical expertise and well-established logistics.

The scale of the problem is Europe-wide. When contacted by the newspaper, the Federal Office of Police (Fedpol) confirmed an increase in thefts across the continent since 2023 and stated that it is working closely with Europol.

Germany, Britain and, above all, France have been particularly hard hit. In France, the gendarmerie has on several occasions managed to break up organised gangs from Romania and Lithuania.

GPS signals from stolen devices, when still active, often lead back to eastern Europe, where the goods are regularly laundered and resold.

Investigations are ongoing, and the Swiss authorities are urging farmers to step up surveillance of their agricultural vehicles and to report any suspicious activity without delay. This phenomenon, which is still on the rise, poses a real threat to agriculture, which is already under severe strain from other economic and climatic factors.

+ How we produce English news
Translated from Italian, reviewed by an English Department journalist