Bikes and livestock ‘most likely rural theft’

The traditional stereotype of the countryside conjures up sleepy villages which are attractive to criminals with designs on expensive farm machinery.

Farmers in Melton have been warned to continue being vigilant despite the cost of rural crime dropping by nearly 40 per cent in Leicestershire and Rutland.

“Farmers and their families are feeling incredibly vulnerable to rural crime – it has become a major obsession and affects the way they live”.

Chief superintendent Gavin Robertson, chair of the Scottish Partnership Against Rural Crime (SPARC), said: “The reduction in the cost of NFU Mutual claims as detailed in this report is very welcome, however we acknowledge that much still needs to be done”.

Rural crime cost Wiltshire £840,000 in 2014, down from £1 million in 2013.

But Gloucestershire bucked the trend with the financial cost rising by £110,000 on 2013 figures to £1 million, seeing the county finish at number ten in a league table of most costly crime areas.

“That said, problem areas remain and thieves continue to exploit weaknesses such as around ATVs and tools”. I’ve been a victim of crime.

But, she added, a few thieves would go to “elaborate lengths” to steal highly-guarded items like quad bikes.

The National Farmers’ Union (NFU) say farmers in the area are taking more crime prevention measures to safeguard their property but that they should not relax in the wake of the encouraging new figures. “There are now padlocks on gates, security lighting in yards and in a few cases CCTV”.

Gloucestershire’s rural crime officer, Sergeant Simon Clemett, said the force had improved the way it tackled rural crime “considerably” in recent years with more than 30 specialist officers now working on the issue.

“This is an organised criminal enterprise”. People are coming equipped with a vehicle capable of carrying them and the skills to round them up.

Mr Robertson said that SPARC was working with partnership groups across the country to address local concerns.

“There was a big rustling problem in Lancashire recently but after a concerted effort by farmers and the police it has fallen”.