Thames Valley Police crack down on rural crime

This week we've joined Thames Valley Police to learn more about the week of action initiative to try and tackle Rural Crime.

Rural crime isn't just stealing from farms, it can be broken into four separate areas.

As Police Inspector Stewart Hutchings - who is the Thames Valley Police rural crime inspector - explains;

"The first one is wildlife crime like poaching, the second one is environmental crime like fly tipping. Then heritage crime, that's nighthawking when people try to go and find old relics, and lastly crimes related to agriculture. So theft of equipment and criminal damage."

Police Crime Commissioner Mathew Barber has this warning for criminals; "The police are after you, we're putting the resource into this, and rural crime is coming down but we can never be complacent."

The Police Crime Commissioner also praised his rural crime task force for handling what is becoming a very widespread issue. He says they've been leading the way nationally and with new additions to the force in the next year it will be one of the biggest rural task forces in the country.

Millions of pounds has been recovered across the country in a crack down on rural crime according to Matthew Barber.

Thames Valley Police say the action will involved them looking for people who are moving equipment around at strange times of day.

"Hiding in plain sight"

Police Inspector Stewart Hutchins who is the Thames Valley Police rural crime inspector suggested what starts as a local issue can often go global.

"Anything plant or farm machinery we know can be sold across the country, if not Europe, we've had GPS systems sold to America. So anything of any size we'll be bringing it in to check it, make sure it isn't stolen."

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