Rural crime costs Buckinghamshire £900k as criminals target farm machinery and livestock

    Photo: Daily Mail

    Rural crime cost Buckinghamshire £900,000 last year, according to new data published by rural insurer NFU Mutual.

    The county saw a slight fall of 0.5%, compared to a national increase of nearly 8.8%.

    Across the UK, rural crime cost £54m in 2019 with the total being largely driven by organised criminal gangs targeting high value tractors, quad bikes and large numbers of livestock.

    While there have been some reductions in crime under lockdown, there are concerns that rural theft is set to escalate as the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic bites.         

    In 2019, rural crime rose in every region and nation within the UK. The biggest percentage increase was seen in Scotland (44.1%), although its rural crime cost remains below the UK average. The second-highest regional rise was 18% in Northern Ireland followed by the East of England (16.9%). The lowest regional increases were in North East England, up 0.4% and South East England, up 0.6%.  

    For the second year running, the sharp rises are being driven by organised criminal gangs targeting high-value tractors, quad bikes and other farm vehicles – accounting for an increase of nearly 25% to £9.3m on agricultural vehicles in the UK. Within that total, quad bike and all-terrain vehicle (ATV) theft rose by 21% to £3.1m.

    In addition, Land Rover Defender thefts reported to NFU Mutual rose by 34% to £2.1m. Demand from overseas for expensive farm kit is fuelling the rise and in one joint operation between NFU Mutual and the National Vehicle Crime Intelligence Service, five vehicles totalling more than £100,000 were recovered from Poland earlier this year.

    Livestock theft also increased in 2019 with the UK cost going up 9% to £3m. Well-organised gangs taking large numbers of sheep, which are thought to enter the food chain illegally, are driving the increase. A spate of sheep being slaughtered and butchered in farmers’ fields also contributed to the rise, and farmers continued to be affected by rustling during the pandemic – with initial figures suggesting an increase of nearly 15% year on year in April 2020.

    Theft of tractor global positioning systems (GPS) is a major concern as farms move to using precision technology to run field operations. Typically costing £8,000 to £10,000, GPS equipment has become a highly-prized item on the shopping lists of rural thieves, particularly during the COVID-19 lockdown where smaller, high-value items appear to have been targeted to meet demand overseas.

    Rebecca Davidson, Rural Affairs Specialist at NFU Mutual, said: “While we welcome the news that Buckinghamshire didn’t see the sharp increases of the rest of the UK, rural crime continues to have a devastating impact on our farmers and rural communities. 

    “Rural crime is like a wave as organised criminality spreads through our villages, farms and rural towns, affecting everyone in the countryside. We continue to work hard to stem the tide and are warning rural communities and helping with prevention advice, as there are concerns for the months ahead as the economic impact of Coronavirus bites.

    “As well as the financial cost, there’s a serious effect on the mental well-being of people living in rural and often isolated areas. There are fears that the impact will be felt harder this year as farmers have been working flat-out to feed the nation and many rural communities have been put under additional pressure by the challenges brought by COVID-19.”

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