Rural crime cost falls to its lowest annual level in five years totalling £43.3m

Despite the Covid-19 pandemic seeing a 20.3 per cent fall in rural crime costs totalling £43.3 million in 2020, the lowest annual level in five years, thieves returned to UK farmyards with new tactics and targets, latest data from the NFU Mutual has found. In its Rural Crime Report, published on August 3, the insurer highlighted costs of agricultural vehicle thefts had dropped two per cent to £9.1m, with criminals getting more 'bang for their buck' by focusing on smaller, high-value items such as Global Positioning Systems (GPS), amounting to £2.9m, almost twice last year's figure (2019). Quad bike and all-terrain vehicle (ATV) theft costs also decreased by 18 per cent (£2.5m) and livestock theft costs reduced 25 per cent to £2.3m. But 2020 saw a 10.2 per cent rise in the toll of dog attacks on farm animals (£1.3m), linked to the lockdown surge in pet ownership and countryside visits. Expressing concern thefts could escalate as the economic impact of the Covid-19 pandemic bites, Rebecca Davidson, rural affairs specialist at NFU Mutual, announced the firm would invest £430,000 in carefully targeted rural security schemes this year. Appalling"Last year saw sharp rises in other crimes such as dog attacks on livestock which caused appalling suffering to farm animals and huge anxiety for farmers and their families as they dealt with the aftermath," she said. "There is no doubt that when we work together with police, farmers, communities and other rural organisations to tackle rural crime it can make a real difference."The extra funding will help police join forces with local farmers, set up covert operations and recover more stolen machinery from countries across Europe."We believe this is vital support because rural crime is not just about money to replace stolen tractors."It causes disruption, seriously affects farmers' mental well-being and destroys the trust which enables rural communities to flourish.Jim McLaren, NFU Mutual chairman and farmer, added the anxiety experienced by farming families, who constantly feel they are being watched by determined criminals waiting for opportunities to steal, was impossible to calculate. DC Chris Piggott, agriculture and plant field intelligence officer at National Vehicle Crime Intelligence Service (NaVCIS) warned rural thieves were becoming more sophisticated to get round high levels of security on modern farm machinery.Patiently "The pattern we are increasingly seeing is of gangs who patiently watch farms from a distance to discover where expensive tractor GPS kit is stored," DC Piggott said. "They generally return at night to steal, and are now using silent electric scooters to get into farmyards undetected and make off at high speed."Thieves are also becoming even slicker stealing quad bikes - watching for hours to rush into farm yards and steal them when they are left unattended for a few minutes."He added the extra funding would allow the service to mount covert operations and use tracking technology to both deter thefts and catch criminals. Geographical breakdown of rural crime costs (source: NFU Mutual) The report also highlighted the cost of rural crime fell in every region and nation within the UK bar the North West of England, which saw a three per cent rise to £3.7m. Wales saw the biggest decrease at 39 per cent (£1.6m), and Northern Ireland and Scotland, following by 37 per cent (£2.1m) and 25 per cent (£1.7m) respectively. Region or country Cost in 2019 (£million) Cost in 2020 (£million) % Change from 2019 East £8.1m £6.4m -20.5% Midlands £10.6m £7.9m -25.3% North East £8.6m £7.8m -9.7% North West £3.5m £3.7m 3.3% Northern Ireland £3.3m £2.1m -36.9% Scotland £2.3m £1.7m -25.0% South East £8.7m £7.1m -18.6% South West £6.6m £5.1m -23.7% Wales £2.6m £1.6m -39.4%

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Rural crime cost falls to its lowest annual level in five years totalling £43.3m

Despite the Covid-19 pandemic seeing a 20.3 per cent fall in rural crime costs totalling £43.3 million in 2020, the lowest annual level in five years, thieves returned to UK farmyards with new tactics and targets.

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Rural crime cost falls to its lowest annual level in five years totalling £43.3m

Despite the Covid-19 pandemic seeing a 20.3 per cent fall in rural crime costs totalling £43.3 million in 2020, the lowest annual level in five years, thieves returned to UK farmyards with new tactics and targets.

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Pilgrim's Welsh lamb base bought by ABP

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