Rural Crime News

Farmers and growers are being urged to ensure their fertiliser stores are properly secured, as the current threat of theft is considered substantial.

20-year-old Suffolk farm worker Spencer Campbell said he experienced a “heart-sinking feeling” when he discovered that his beloved tractor had been stolen. 

Dog owners in England and Wales will face unlimited fines if their pets attack livestock.

Criminal gangs are targeting farmland with lorry loads of waste. The Environment Agency reports that offenders are saving thousands of pounds in disposal costs whilst leaving landowners facing bills of £6,000 or more to clear each load.    

Britain’s countryside is set to benefit from a new three-year strategy to tackle the growing threat posed by organised crime, the National Police Chiefs’ Council confirmed. 

The government has been urged to make rural crime a clear national priority, following the Home Office’s announcement that Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) positions will be abolished once their current term is up in 2028. 

Farmers have been warned to prepare for potential incursions and trespasses by activist groups, following recent online activity suggesting plans for coordinated farm actions across the UK.

The UK government has announced plans to introduce legislation that would require all new ATVs and GPS units to be equipped with forensic markings to deter thieves. 

Five Animal Rising campaigners have received a nine-month conditional discharge following aggravated trespass at a dairy facility in 2022.

The farmer, in her 70s, was reliant on her Suzuki King Quad 400 to carry out her daily farming duties.

Cambridgeshire Police’s rural crime team stopped a car carrying 10 men who were reportedly on their way to take part in hare coursing.

A 27-year-old man from Somerset has been ordered to pay over £300,000 following thefts of agricultural machinery.