Rural crime is on the rise and we must protect our countryside communities

Those who live and work in the many rural communities of Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly know only too well the devastating effect crime can have on the livelihood and wellbeing of residents, workers and business owners.

It’s common however to underestimate the scale and cost of rural crime; according to NFU Mutual, last year the national cost was a staggering £52.8 million.

Worryingly, it’s not just having a financial impact. The negative effect on the mental health of our farmers is significant. Around three quarters of those surveyed by NFU Mutual say they have been repeat victims of crime, and have been left feeling vulnerable in their homes and places of work.

These are the people who work tirelessly to feed our population and make a significant contribution to the country’s economy. They face multiple challenges including isolation and adverse weather conditions as well as rural crime, which largely consists of agricultural vehicle and GPS theft (up a massive 137 per cent nationally from the previous year), quad bike and all-terrain vehicle (ATV) theft, livestock theft, and dog attacks on livestock (up nearly 30%).

Here in the South West, the cost of rural crime was £7 million in 2023, up from £5 million the previous year, an increase of 42 per cent and the largest rise in the country.

Thankfully, we have a fantastic Rural Affairs team at Devon & Cornwall Police who are working hard to grasp the issue, working with neighbourhood policing teams and carrying out high-visibility patrols and raising awareness of rural crime issues.

Recent activity has included patrolling areas prone to illegal fishing; engaging with farmers at livestock markets, providing bespoke animal welfare and crime prevention advice; supporting local authorities investigating large-scale fly-tipping incidents; and taking part in multi-agency training alongside colleagues from Natural England to share knowledge and best practice as part of an ongoing commitment to strengthen methods of collaborative working.

Too many animals are killed on our rural roads because of dangerous driving, something we sadly see on a regular basis especially on our moorland roads. Each of these deaths represents a financial loss to our farming communities, and so I am pleased to see action being taken to tackle this.

Policing teams have recently carried out a targeted speeding operation on Dartmoor roads between Tavistock, Princetown and Yelverton following a number of recent collisions involving livestock. Busy car parks were also patrolled, with members of the public engaged with to raise awareness about dog attacks on livestock and signs put up to reinforce the importance of keeping dogs on leads or under close control.

There is more work to be done and I am keen to ensure a sustained focus on these and other issues affecting our rural communities, which by their nature are remote, isolated and can feel out of sight and out of mind.

To help mitigate this, as part of my proposed Police and Crime Plan which sets the priorities for policing in Devon and Cornwall for the next four years, I intend to have a focus on theft, drug and alcohol use, antisocial behaviour and violence in a number of specific areas, one of which being in our coast and countryside communities.

If you would like to have your say on this draft plan, please visit https://bit.ly/3BhjTxT or give my office a call on 01392 225555. The survey closes on October 27 and the final plan will be published later this year.