Rural crime gangs in North Yorkshire "more sophisticated than ever"
North Yorkshire is the eighth worst affected county in the country
Last updated 3rd Aug 2021
It's thought organised rural crime gangs are now more connected and sophisticated than ever, as a new report has found North Yorkshire is one of the worst affected counties in the UK.
Despite the cost of rural theft in North Yorkshire falling more than 40%, it is still estimated that £1.29m was lost in 2020.
It's thought the drop is due to the COVID restrictions, increased farm security and rural crime schemes keeping criminals out of the countryside, according to figures released today by leading rural insurer, NFU Mutual.
In its Rural Crime Report, published today (Tuesday 3 August), NFU Mutual reveals that rural theft cost the UK an estimated £43.3m in 2020, a fall of 20.3% on the previous year, making it the lowest annual cost recorded in five years.
However, highly-organised criminals continued to plague farmyards over the pandemic, stealing high-value farming Global Positioning Systems, quad bikes and ATVs as the UK cost of agricultural vehicle theft reported to NFU Mutual remained at over £9m.
Claire Radley, NFU Mutual Agent in Skipton, said: “Coronavirus restrictions, beefed up farm security and rural crime initiatives provided a welcome fall in rural thefts last year.
“While lockdown may have locked some criminals out of the countryside – rural crime hasn’t gone away. Thieves are now returning armed with new tactics and targets. As the economic impact of the pandemic bites, we are very concerned that rural theft may escalate significantly.”
Other rural crimes, including dog attacks on livestock and fly-tipping rose sharply. The value of sheep and cattle attacked by dogs in the UK shot up by 10 in 2020 to £1.3m in a year which saw a surge in pet ownership and countryside visits. The situation continues to worsen as NFU Mutual claims data shows the cost of attacks rose 50% in the first quarter of 2021 compared to the same period last year.
Fly-tipping in fields, gateways and country lanes reached epidemic proportions as waste recycling centres restricted access, leaving farmers to deal with the clean-up and risks to their health and that of their livestock and the environment.
Across England, the largest regional fall in cost was in the Midlands (-25% to £7.9m), followed by the South West (-24% to £5.1m); and the East (-21% to £6.4m). In the South East, the cost was down 19% to £7.1m with the North East also seeing its rural crime bill drop 10% to £7.8m. Only one region, the North West, recorded a cost rise (+3% to £3.7m).
NFU Mutual in Skipton, along with North Yorkshire Police, farmers and the local community are part of a Rural Watch Scheme which has made great strides tackling rural crime in the local area.
Claire said: “There’s 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. That’s why we’re working closely with police and the farming community to share information, help protect property and raise awareness.
“We are urging the public, many of whom are using the countryside more, to support our farmers and rural communities by reporting suspicious sightings and crimes to the police. Our farmers have worked tirelessly throughout the pandemic keeping the nation fed and caring for the countryside. By working together we can stem the tide when the criminals become more active again.”
Over the past two years, NFU Mutual has invested over £850,000 in the fight against rural crime including a police UK-wide agricultural vehicle crime tracking and recovery unit. The National Vehicle Crime Intelligence Service (NaVCIS) co-ordinates farm machinery theft intelligence between NFU Mutual, police forces, Border Force and Interpol.
Claire added: “We believe this is vital support because rural crime isn’t just about money to replace stolen quads. It causes disruption, seriously affects farmers’ mental well-being and destroys the trust which enables rural communities to flourish.”