Rural Crime Must Be Taken More Seriously

The Countryside Alliance and the NFU have both today called on candidates in next month’s Police and Crime Commissioner (PCCs) elections to put rural crime at the forefront of their campaigns. It is feared that police not taking the incidents seriously will lead to cuts to funding.

A survey by the National Farmers' Union (NFU) covering the issue found 64% of respondents believe incidents have increased over the past year. Meanwhile, more than half (51%) feel "not very" or "not at all" secure from crime, and 54% think there aren't enough police resources allocated to tackling it. The true impact rural crime is having on farmers and their families is damaging both financially and mentally.

NFU Regional Director, Gary Ford, described rural crime as a "blight on the countryside".

He said: "Crimes like hare coursing, fly-tipping, dog attacks on livestock and theft of large and small machinery have left rural residents feeling more vulnerable. They also have knock-on effects on farm businesses.

Fly-tipping has been an issue for some time, but from the beginning of the pandemic it has increased as local authority waste and recycling centres were closed or queued. Even after re-opening, problems have remained.

For example, earlier this month, two vans drove to Glencorse Water Treatment Works near Penicuik and, in broad daylight, tipped a large amount of material including plaster board, insulation and timber on the access road. It will cost Scottish Water and its customers thousands of pounds to clear up. In March, pictures showed industrial waste dumped along Cammo Walk in Edinburgh while a massive pile of rubbish was left on Birsley Brae, near Tranent.

 This year's PCC elections, which were due to take place in 2020, were postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic. Police forces in England and Wales are covered, except for the Met Police, Greater Manchester Police, West Yorkshire Police and City of London Police areas. PCCs are elected to hold police forces to account for delivering the kind of policing the public want to see. The Countryside Alliance has released its manifesto ahead of the elections to be held on 6 May.

PC Chris Shelley, a rural crime officer for Norfolk police, said the constabulary had built positive links with countryside businesses and communities. He said: "We have very positive relationships with the NFU and other key stakeholders. "We are fully aware that fly-tipping is a constant blight on rural communities and we are trying to engage more with other partners and councils who deal with it. For hare coursing, we are looking at well over a 50pc reduction in incidents year on year, so that is another positive sign.

"But it is good to see that farmers are taking the advice we are issuing to protect themselves from rural crime, things like marking equipment and installing CCTV."

The Mobile CCTV Tower from Watchtower Security Solutions is one example. Our CCTV Video Surveillance tower system is a cost-effective security solution that helps prevents crime and saves money. It is a highly visible deterrent that has been endorsed by Police service crime prevention officers and is ‘Secured by Design’ accredited. It is specifically designed to meet the challenges of securing, rural, remote and vulnerable sites and can be powered in three different ways: mains power, hydrogen / solar power and methanol / solar power. The power options are flexible to the client’s specification, needs and siting environment.

The tower mast is protected by a locked galvanised steel case, which itself is over 2 metres high. The case is protected by 2 optical cameras. The mast extends a further 2.5 metres and holds the 4 digital/thermal cameras. Unwanted intruders on sites can be detected quickly, triggering security who can issue a verbal warning through the communication system. Their image is captured in high-resolution footage as well being detected and tracked on thermal cameras.

It’s important to report any theft, especially if the industry wants the problem to be recognised and resources put into theft prevention. CCTV cameras should deter thieves in the first place, but if it does not, then they can provide farms with high-resolution footage where the criminals are likely to be captured clearly.

Other preventions are also recommended. NFU Mutual advises farmers to:

? Ensure stock is clearly marked and records are up to date

? When possible graze livestock in fields away from roads

? Check stock regularly – and vary times of feeding/check ups

? Consider a high-tech marking system such as TecTracer which puts thousands of coded microdot markers into a sheep’s fleece

? Join a Farm or Rural Watch scheme to share information about rural crime in your area

? Ask neighbours to report any suspicious sightings to the police, or to give information 100 percent anonymously to the Crimestoppers Hotline 0800 555 111

? Dial 999 immediately if an incident is taking place – do not approach criminals

To find out more, get in touch with us at Watchtower Security Solutions here > [email protected] or call Chris Finney on 07747 215295 or Barry Robson on 07747 215 3587

Please note: Farmers and other rural voters can take part in the Countryside Alliance’s candidate lobbying tool, which identifies the PCC candidates in any area.