Crimestoppers launch campaign to crack down on rural crime in North Yorkshire
The charity is encouraging the public to report any suspicious activity
Crimestoppers is launches its first ever cross-border rural crime campaign across six northern counties.
The independent charity has partnered with Cumbria, Lancashire, North Yorkshire, Northumbria, Cleveland and Durham police forces to help tackle cross-border rural crime.
It says criminals often travel large distances using roads such as the A66, A1 or M6 to carry out crimes causing misery and significant financial lose.
The campaign seeks to cut cross-border rural crimes by increasing the amount of community information by encouraging the public to anonymously report suspicious activity in rural areas. There will also be tips on how to reduce your risk of having your property targeted.
There are four themes for this campaign covering the theft of quad bikes and farm machinery, theft of livestock, burglary and poaching.
Rural crime impacts rural residents emotionally and it hits their pockets too - according to NFU Mutual's 2023 Rural Crime Report, rural crime in the UK rose by 22% last year and cost an estimated £49.5m.
Gary Murray is from the charity Crimestoppers: “Our charity is very aware of how damaging crime in rural areas can be to families, communities, rural businesses, farmers, wildlife and the local environment.
“Together we can help stop those who seek to travel across the north of England to carry out these crimes.
“Every day, we hear from people who tell us about those involved in theft of livestock, poaching, the theft and selling on of stolen quad bikes and machinery, and the theft and burglaries from rural homes and businesses."
The charity is also offering these steps to make your property and machinery secure:
• Fit tracking devices to vehicles and machinery
• Remove keys and keep vehicles locked away and out of sight
• Lock your home and outbuildings at all times
• Install CCTV or video doorbells
• Put up signs saying you have fitted tracking devices and video cameras on your premises
• Join a rural or farm watch scheme
• Speak up about suspicious vehicles or individuals – registration numbers, make/model, description of individuals, times and dates, those who are selling stolen quad bikes or machinery, animals that have been poached or stolen, or those who target rural properties.