Rural crime 2024: how are rural police forces battling criminality?

From the Police & Crime Commissioner for Hampshire & the Isle of Wight, Donna Jones:

Rural crime has a devastating impact on those living and working in rural communities. Now more than ever before, organised crime gangs are targeting our beautiful rural areas with no thought to the significant impacts caused.

Since becoming the Police and Crime Commissioner for Hampshire and the Isle of Wight in 2021, I’ve been supporting rural communities, farmers and landowners, and funded more police officers to relentlessly pursue criminals operating in remote communities.

Over the last three years, I’ve invested in the return of the ‘area cars’, in named ‘local bobbies’ for every rural community, in cutting edge drones, and in specialist capabilities to catch criminals. Two rural crime analysts have been backed to identify crime trends and offenders, and I’ve invested in the most effective technology available to police forces across England and Wales. This includes Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras, CCTV cameras, drones, and an app called DISC where farmers and landowners can share information quickly and receive updates from the police.

Police and crime commissioners must continue to invest in cutting edge technology in the fight against crime. In Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, we have large expanses of countryside with hundreds of square miles of agricultural land. To stay one step ahead, I’ve invested £1m in boosting the intelligence capability and will be increasing the number of police officers in rural areas to target organised crime gangs operating across borders.

This year’s NFU Rural Crime Report estimated that rural crime cost the UK £52.8m (in 2023), up 4.3% on the previous year. This includes a staggering 137% increase in thefts of GPS devices.

A catalogue of crimes leave landowners and farmers feeling vulnerable and, when a crime is committed, out of pocket with huge financial deficits.

Rural crimes include poaching, hare coursing, fly-tipping and the theft of livestock and agricultural machinery.

As we mark Rural Crime Action Week, I pledge to combat rural crime. In my next police and crime plan, I will be focusing on protecting rural communities with enhanced physical and financial investment. This means more boots on the ground, more funding for technology, and more cross-border work targeting the organised rural crime gangs.

This week, we should also shine a light on the thousands of volunteers who assist the rural crime teams within every police force. They provide fantastic support and invaluable knowledge. Thank you to every volunteer who is making a real difference in rural communities up and down the country.