"I could be killed in the field and nobody would notice" says isolated farmer in the East of England
A survey has found over half of farmers in the region don't feel secure from crime
Farmers in the East of England are calling for more support to tackle rural crime.
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.
"I could be killed in the field and nobody would notice."
That was one of the comments left by a farmer during the survey which Brian Finnerty, spokesperson for the NFU, thinks explains how isolated those within the industry feel.
He said:
"Others were saying it's impossible to grow crops at the moment without somebody driving a vehicle across it, in pursuit of hares for example.
"Another one said rural crime is like an additional tax on the business because they're spending so much money trying to keep their farm safe from criminals.
"It's the comments that people made that really highlight the impact rural crime is having and how isolated some of our rural communities feel at the moment."
Of the 252 respondents from the region, who were victims of crime last year, 10% have suffered financial losses of over £10,000 or more, with the average financial loss per farm being £5,100.
Farmers in the East have been fighting back against criminals with 78% blocking field entrances, 45% digging ditches around fields, two thirds upgrading building security and just under half installing CCTV.
They are also making use of apps, such as WhatsApp, to share information with police and over one third say they have regular contact with officers outside of reporting crime.
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.
"Despite this, rural areas continue to receive lower levels of police funding, per head of population, than urban areas.
"We will be using the survey findings in our discussions with Police and Crime Commissioner candidates to help ensure rural policing receives the resources it needs, and rural communities deserve."