CESAR Scheme returns to Cereals 2025 with powerful new tools in the fight against rural crime

The CESAR Scheme – the UK’s official equipment security and registration scheme, owned by the CEA (Construction Equipment Association) and powered by Datatag – is set to return to Cereals 2025, taking place on 11–12 June at Heath Farm, Lincolnshire. As rural crime continues to rise, particularly around high-value machinery, the CESAR team will be on Stand 224, showcasing the latest in theft deterrent and identification technology.

Now protecting more than 650,000 registered machines, CESAR has become the recognised standard across both the construction and agricultural sectors. Supported by the AEA (Agricultural Engineers Association), the scheme is fitted as standard by many leading OEMs, covering everything from tractors and trailers to quads and ATVs, where theft is particularly prevalent on farms. CESAR’s combination of tamper-evident labels, RFID transponders, Datadot® microdots, and unique ID numbers makes it harder for criminals to operate and easier for police to identify stolen machinery.

But CESAR’s capabilities now go far beyond physical deterrents. At this year’s show, the team will be demonstrating RAPID – the Registered Assets Police Information Database – a game-changing tool giving UK police forces direct mobile access to the CESAR database.

RAPID is a web-based platform built to streamline the identification of plant and machinery, allowing frontline officers to confirm ownership and identify stolen assets directly from their smartphones. It pulls live data not only from the CESAR Scheme but also from the Police National Computer (PNC) and IFNOL insurers database, offering the most complete asset check available to UK police.

Identification can be made using a range of visible and embedded markers – from CESAR ID numbers and Datadots® to etched tags, engine numbers, and even partial VINs. RAPID also includes a growing library of over 130 machinery orientation videos, helping officers to quickly locate the relevant ID plates and features on specific makes and models.

Speaking about RAPID’s impact, Superintendent Andy Huddleston, National Police Chiefs Council lead for agri and construction machinery thefts and head of the National Construction and Agricultural Theft Team (NCATT), said:

“RAPID represents a significant leap forward in how law enforcement identify plant and machinery, which is crucial not just during investigations but more so because it's very nearly the equivalent of doing a PNC registration plate check on a car.”

“By offering the power of the CESAR Database to every police officer, it enables teams across the UK to operate with greater confidence, speed and precision when identifying and recovering stolen assets. This is a brilliant step by the industry with their scheme.”

The CESAR team will be available throughout the show to talk to farmers, contractors, insurers, and manufacturers about how to get machinery registered, how to fit CESAR or RAPID to new or existing equipment, and how both systems continue to support police investigations and reduce theft risk.

As the largest arable farming event in the UK, Cereals 2025 offers the ideal platform to showcase how collaborative industry initiatives like CESAR and RAPID are making a tangible difference to rural crime prevention – and why registration and identification matter more than ever.

Visit CESAR on Stand 224 at Cereals 2025.