Impact of rural crime being explored by PCC’s across the South West

Police and Crime Commissioners from the South West have launched a survey to explore how crime is affecting rural areas.

Wiltshire’s PCC Philip Wilkinson and his counterparts in Dorset, Devon and Cornwall, Avon and Somerset and Gloucestershire are hoping the survey gives them a better understanding of how the rural communities of their county’s are affected by crime.

Mr Wilkinson said: “In an agricultural county like Wiltshire, it’s so important to keep on top of how Wiltshire Police are responding to and dealing with all forms of rural crime.

“I’m keen to understand what improvements have been made since the National Rural Crime Network ran a similar survey in 2018, and what we still need to put more resource into.”

The Rural Crime Team in Wiltshire cover crime related to heritage and wildlife, including the theft of livestock and machinery, fly tipping and poaching.

The survey, which can be taken here, asks rural residents if they have been the victim of any crimes in the last 12 months as well as asking what rural crimes concern them the most.

Hear all the latest news from across the UK on the hour, every hour, on Greatest Hits Radio on DAB, smartspeaker, at greatesthitsradio.co.uk, and on the Rayo app.