Taking place between 18^th and 24^th September, the campaign aims to highlights the challenges rural businesses are facing and the work undertaken by police forces and crime commissioners to tackle rural crime.

Following the passing of the Equipment Theft (Prevention) Act, aimed at deterring the theft of quads and ATVs, the NFU is now calling for the act to be expanded to include other agricultural equipment such as GPS systems.

Farm machinery theft is just one of many challenges farmers face nationwide, costing the UK a staggering £49 million in 2022 alone, according to NFU Mutual. An alarming surge in the theft of tractor GPS units cost the UK over £500,000 in the first four months of 2023, more than double compared to the same period in 2022.

Other challenges farmers continue to contend with include hare coursing and livestock worrying.

The NFU, alongside other organisations, successfully campaigned for legislative changes regarding hare coursing, which were included in the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill. The NFU is now pushing for the government to follow through its commitment to introduce legislation, originally included in the Kept Animals Bill, to tackle livestock worrying.

NFU vice president David Exwood said: “Highly organised gangs of criminals have continued to plague the British countryside in recent years, stealing livestock, valuable farm machinery and expensive GPS equipment.

“We welcome the action government have taken to tackle hare coursing and ATV theft but urge the government to pass secondary legislation to widen the scope of the Equipment Theft (Prevention) Act to include other equipment, such as larger machinery or GPS systems, and to fulfil its commitments on livestock worrying.

Mr Exwood added the NFU views the creation of the National Rural Crime Unit as a positive step towards making the countryside a safer place and will continue to work closely with stakeholders and police forces to reduce rural crime rates.

Bob Henderson, NFU Mutual lead on Rural Crime, commented: “It is clear specialised policing is highly effective in tackling rural crime and we are proud to provide support and funding for the National Rural Crime Unit, which will strengthen work across the UK ensuring dedicated police resources are targeted where they are needed most.

“We welcome the work by the NFU to bring in changes in legislation to protect farmers and the wider rural community.”

Suffolk police launches new rural crime strategy

As part of National Rural Crime Week, Suffolk Constabulary is launching a revised Rural and Wildlife strategy to include a heavy focus on the community, public engagements, and offering crime prevention advice.

The police force has also pledged to continue its commitment to tackling a variety of rural crime, including equine crime, livestock offences, heritage crime which involves the harming of buildings, monuments and parks, and the theft of farming machinery, vehicles, and fuel.

As part of the campaign, representatives from Suffolk police will also be visiting four farms today (Wed 20 Sept) in Stowupland, Bacton, Great Ashfield and Sudbury to offer local farmers crime reduction advice and listen to any concerns they have.

Meanwhile, work over recent months has seen the team attend a pre-harvest farm safety event, where prevention advice was delivered to 120 farmers; provide advice to landowners that are vulnerable to illegal metal detecting; and also liaise closely with anti-hunting organisations and hunts, with a view to seek compliance with the hunting act.

County Policing commander Alice Scott said: “Policing a rural area such as Suffolk offers unique challenges and requires us to work with all areas of the rural community to prevent and detect rural crime. This includes residents, businesses, farmers and those involved in the county’s thriving tourist industry.

“There is still more that can be done and in this strategy, we have identified the key challenges faced by rural communities and as a result, the demand on policing.”

Police and Crime commissioner Tim Passmore added: “This week is National Rural Crime week and Suffolk is playing its full part in this important initiative.

“The Home Office needs to recognise people in rural areas pay their dues like anyone else and therefore expect to receive their fair share of policing resources.”

The commissioner assured keeping people in rural areas safe is a key component of the Suffolk Police and Crime Plan and there will be continued investment in rural policing capacity and resources.

PC Sophie Buckle has recently joined the Suffolk Rural and Wildlife Crime Team.

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Who is responsible for these tractor thefts?

Police suspect the gang is identifying farms owning recently-bought expensive tractors and loaders and are using the motorway network to move them out of the country to sell in Eastern Europe and beyond.

Bob Henderson, head of engineering at NFU Mutual, said: “This is one of the worst spates of high-value agricultural vehicle theft we have dealt with in a specific area.

“We’re providing security advice to farmers in the two counties to help them secure their properties. We’re also working closely with the rural policing unit supported by NFU Mutual to help detect the gang responsible.

“These tractor thefts show we need to up our game to keep thieves at bay.”

Superintendent Andy Huddleston, who leads the newly-formed National Rural Crime Unit, said: “It’s clear that these thefts are the work of a highly-organised criminal group.

“Unusually the machinery being stolen are newer pieces of kit – some costing around £100,000 to replace. A number of stolen tractors and loaders have been recovered after being left in secluded areas. This indicates that the criminals are leaving stolen machinery for a few days to avoid the risk of detection if a tracking device is fitted to the machines.

“The thieves are very likely to be moving stolen vehicles out of the UK and selling them on in Eastern Europe. The thefts are being investigated by West Mercia Police, assisted by the National Construction and Agricultural Theft Team and OPAL, a national police intelligence unit which focuses on serious organised acquisitive crime.

“These specialist teams have been established to co-ordinate action across all UK police forces and pursue investigations abroad.

“With the exception of some brands many modern tractors and loaders are difficult to steal when keys are removed and locked away and the vehicles’ security devices are activated. Additional basic security measures such as locking yard gates, having security lights, using motion detector alarms and CCTV we know does deter thieves and is worth doing.”

What is being done to prevent future thefts?

Bob Henderson added: “As the main insurer of UK farmers, we know that theft of vital tractors and loaders is incredibly disruptive and causes worry and additional pressures for farmers and their families.

“We’re responding to the new threat by helping farmers put effective security measures in place and continuing to provide major support, to enable dedicated police resources tackle agricultural vehicle crime.”

Last year NFU Mutual invested over £400,000 in rural crime prevention initiatives. This includes support for a UK-wide agricultural vehicle theft unit and many regional and local schemes across the UK.

NFU Mutual’s latest statistics show that the cost of agricultural vehicle claims soared 29% to £11.7m in 2022 as organised criminal gangs cashed in on the rising cost and limited supply of vehicles and machinery.

Security checklist to protect your tractors and large agricultural vehicles:

• Close and lock yard gates at night to deter drive-through thieves
• Keep vehicle keys locked up securely at a separate location
• Check security lighting, alarms and cameras are working correctly and update if necessary
• Avoid leaving vehicles where they can be easily seen from near-by roads
• Consider infra-red beam alarms, CCTV and floodlighting to protect farm yards
• Join a local farm watch group or WhatsApp network to keep updated about local rural crime trends and suspicious sightings
• Fit trackers and immobilisers to deter thieves and aid recovery of stolen pick-ups
• Use the CESAR marking and registration system

Watch NFU Mutual’s tractor security video below for detailed advice on keeping your machinery safe.

The post Spate of tractor thefts hits Midlands appeared first on Farmers Guide.

Stock photo for illustration only.

Suffolk Police is appealing for information on the theft of 50 gilts which were taken from a paddock at a farm in Little Livermere, near Bury St Edmunds.

The thieves are said to have struck between 3pm on 4^th August and 10am on 8^th August.

Anyone who has any information should contact Suffolk Police via the website reporting form or 101, quoting crime reference 37/46145/23.

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According to the report published today (1^st August), the primary driving force behind the rising trends is global events such as the Ukraine conflict opening up illicit markets and creating more demand for stolen machinery.

As a result, farmers and rural communities have been increasingly targeted by criminal gangs, compounding financial worries caused by the cost-of-living crisis. The knowledge of being exposed and watched is also having a negative impact on well-being and mental health in rural areas, many of which are already suffering from isolation and loneliness.

Following a decline throughout 2020 and 2021, figures show that rural crime is now hitting pre-pandemic levels. In 2022, quad and ATV theft reported to NFU Mutual cost £3m nationally, a 34% rise on the previous year.

Meanwhile, GPS theft increased by 15% to £1.8m last year, with the problem escalating further in the first four months of 2023, doubling costs to over £500,000 compared to the same period last year.

Livestock theft remains one of the costliest crimes to farming, with an estimated £2.7m damage incurring farmers in 2022, a rise of 8.7% on the previous year. The cost of dog attacks on livestock has also increased by more than 50% between 2019 and 2022 as the so-called ‘pandemic puppies’ came of age.

Of all crimes involving theft, trailer thefts have seen the biggest increase last year, with figures up 66% at £2.9m.

NFU Mutual Chairman Jim McLaren wrote in the report: ‘Rural thieves are no longer opportunists from the nearest town. Today, crime is controlled by organised and often international gangs, and world events and new illicit markets have an impact on the demand for stolen kit.

‘As well as criminals trespassing on farms to scope out properties, NFU Mutual has also received reports of thieves using drones and other technology to identify targets.

‘The costly issue of rural crime impacts lives and livelihoods as it puts additional pressure on farming families who may feel vulnerable knowing that homes and workplaces are being watched.’

In a survey of 175 NFU Mutual Agents, 80% of respondents said rural crime is disrupting farming activities, while 70% knew of farmers who had been repeat victims of rural crime. Moreover, 86% agreed thieves are cashing in on the limited supply of vehicles and rising prices.

With the UK facing increasingly sophisticated and determined criminals, NFU Mutual is providing financial support and expertise to help establish a new rural crime police unit, which will co-ordinate efforts against rural crime nationally and help shape best practice to provide a platform to fight back.

The organisation is also working alongside police, rural communities and its network of local agents to tackle the issue, and has invested over £400,000 in rural crime initiatives.

Greater collaboration needed to curb rural crime

Responding to the report, NFU Vice President David Exwood said:

“As the NFU Mutual’s report highlights, over the past 18 months highly organised gangs of criminals have continued to plague the British countryside, stealing livestock, high-value farm machinery and expensive GPS equipment, as well as trespassing on private land and regularly fly-tipping tons of rubbish.

“The huge increase we’ve seen in criminal activity is significantly impacting farm businesses and farming families both financially and emotionally, with many rural communities left feeling vulnerable and intimidated. All at a time when the industry is facing numerous other pressures, not least soaring production costs.”

Mr Exwood said it was reassuring to see the Equipment Theft Prevention Bill granted Royal Assent in recent weeks, as a result of collaboration between the NFU, NFU Mutual, government and other industry organisations.

“This new legislation gives the Home Secretary wider powers to make regulations that will deter the theft and resale of quad bikes and ATVs. Fitting immobilisers and adding forensic markings will also ensure that owner details are registered to help make these essential farm vehicles less attractive for criminals to steal.

“There also needs to be much more of a collaborative approach to tackle rural crime,” Mr Exwood added. “The National Rural Crime Unit is a great example of farmers, policymakers and police forces working together effectively at national and local level to examine ways of how UK farming businesses can be protected from criminal gangs.”

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Latest figures from NFU Mutual reveal the UK cost of GPS theft has more than doubled to over £500,000 in the first four months of 2023, compared to the same period last year.

Now the crimewave is hitting Northern Ireland with four incidents of GPS theft reported to the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) in recent weeks.

Used to provide precision positioning for cultivation and harvesting operations on farms across the world, GPS systems have become one of the most targeted pieces of farm equipment because of their high cost and portability.

The rural insurer is now concerned that criminal gangs responsible for the farm-tech crime wave could be planning to take advantage of the busy summer season to attack even more farms, causing widespread delays and disruption as supply chain shortages continue.

Martin Malone, NFU Mutual Northern Ireland manager, said the rise in GPS thefts across the region is “extremely concerning” and urged farmers to take the necessary precautions to protect their equipment by removing it from machines and locking it up securely when not in use.

“Forensically marking, painting or scratching your farm name or postcode onto GPS systems can also make them less attractive to thieves and harder to sell-on,” he added.

“Disrupting worldwide criminal distribution lines for gangs to sell-on stolen GPS equipment is the key to controlling this crime wave, so we’re working closely with police, machinery manufacturers and farmers to make it more difficult for these gangs to operate.”

NFU Mutual GPS Security Guide

• Activate PIN security on GPS kit with your own unique number if available
• Mark your postcode on the unit’s case to deter thieves and trace your property back to you
• Keep tractors and combines with GPS fitted stored out of sight when possible
• Remove GPS kit when possible, from tractors and other machinery and store it securely when not in use
• Record serial numbers and photograph your kit
• Check serial numbers of second-hand kit offered for sale

A video with advice to prevent GPS theft is also available on Rural Crime – GPS 2022 – YouTube.

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The new upper limit to littering fines will deter people engaging in criminal activities that are damaging to wildlife and nature, create eyesores and pose a financial burden to farmers who must bear the cost of cleaning up waste dumped on their land.

The announcement comes as a recent Environment Agency survey revealed that nearly a fifth of all waste in England may be illegally handled, costing the economy £1 billion per year through evaded tax, environmental and social harm and lost legitimate business.

To help councils clamp down on waste crime, the government has laid a statutory instrument increasing the upper limits for various fixed penalty notices (FPNs) this Monday (10^th July), which means:

• The maximum amount those caught fly-tipping could be fined will increase from £400 to £1,000
• The maximum amount those who litter or graffiti could be fined will increase from £150 to £500
• The maximum amount those who breach their household waste duty of care could be fined will increase from £400 to £600

These changes are set to come into force on 31^st July and local authorities will have the freedom to determine the rates offenders should pay within the limits above.

In addition to increasing the upper limit on fines, the government has launched a consultation on ringfencing the money raised from fining criminals to fund further enforcement and clean-up activities.

The consultation seeks to understand more about how FPN receipts are currently spent and what the impacts of redirecting these funds would be.

Ensuring offenders face tougher consequences is part of the government’s plan for councils to take effective enforcement action against those who intentionally or carelessly damage their environment, with the aim of ultimately changing behaviour and stopping further offences.

Environment minister Rebecca Pow said: “We’re taking action right across government to crack down on anti-social behaviour and ensure waste criminals face justice – but it’s vital that communities have the tools they need to address the problem as well.

“That’s why we are supporting local authorities by increasing the upper limit for on-the-spot fines and ringfencing the proceeds for clean-up and enforcement operations.”

In 2021/22, councils dealt with almost 1.1 million incidents of fly-tipping and issued 91,000 fines, along with other enforcement actions. In England, a total of 4,156 incidents were reported to be agriculture-related in the same period, costing farmers £1,000 to £10,000 in clean-up costs.

The higher fines to crack down on littering and fly tipping comes alongside Defra’s wider work to tackle waste crime and take the fight to offenders.

In April, grants totalling £775,000 to help councils roll out a range of projects to crack down on fly-tipping were announced. Twenty-one local authorities will benefit from the grants, with schemes including roadside CCTV and social media campaigns in Plymouth and targeted surveillance at hotspot areas in Pendle.

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Rural crime has become an increased concern

Having spent 22 years working in corporate security following 24 years in the military, Mick Hawkes returned to rural Herefordshire, where he realised how significant the problem of rural crime has become.

“The Government and the police seem to do very little to help, and rural crime is a financial, physical and mental burden on farmers,” Mick says. “I came back to the UK to help people defeat criminals, teaching personal safety and situational awareness with my daughter Keeley. But when I realised the challenges that farmers and rural communities are facing, I decided to see if I could help them with a more practical approach.”

Understand farms’ security weaknesses

Mr Hawkes spent 14 years in the SAS, and as part of his work in Northern Ireland he worked for four years breaking into farm complexes covertly to combat the IRA. He then returned to Hereford, where he taught military students in the art of Close Target Recces, again, working around farms covertly. “I therefore have a strong understanding of farms’ weak points, and know that farmers and farm workers are the first line of defence against criminals.”

Rural theft across the UK cost an estimated £40.5m in 2021, according to NFU Mutual’s annual report, with thieves targeting fuel, livestock and machinery. And, the cost increased by over 40% in the first quarter of 2022, with rural crime a worry to 50% of the rural community.

Trespassing and break-ins on farms

But it’s not just farm theft that is a concern for rural residents – the rise in animal rights extremists breaking into farms is a very real threat, and training in farm security and situational awareness will help to combat this.

“It’s about knowing what to look out for, general vigilance, and ensuring your own personal safety,” says Mr Hawkes.

A cost-effective approach to farm security

He also knows that farmers are on tight budgets, so he is offering a cost-effective approach to farm security, rather than selling expensive security systems.

“We can carry out security assessments of vulnerable farms that have been targeted for crime, then recommend cost effective solutions using what they already have, to ensure we keep recommendations realistic.”

Mr Hawkes and his daughter also offer personal safety training for farmers, their workers and families.

“Keeley trains young people and adults in security and situational awareness, helping them to manage confrontation and keep safe on the streets,” says Mr Hawkes. “If we can maintain zero security incidents working in the world’s crime hotspots, then we can do the same in here in the UK countryside.”

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Waste crime encompasses a range of illegal activities, including the dumping, burning, illegal shipping and misdescription of waste, as well as the operation of illegal waste sites. Industry research suggests illegal waste management costs the economy £1 billion per year through evaded tax, environmental and social harm and lost legitimate business.

In February 2023, the Environment Agency asked farmers/landowners, service providers and members of the waste industry to complete an online survey to provide insight into the nature and scale of waste crime in England.

The survey was designed through consultation with a range of stakeholders, including the National Farmers Union, to help the Agency’s efforts combatting waste crime. The most engagement was seen from farmers/landowners with 459 responses received, as opposed to 346 from the waste industry and 84 from service providers.

The response from farming community is not surprising, as fly tipping on agricultural land is still a major problem in the UK despite declining trends last year. Defra figures have shown a total of 4,156 agricultural fly-tipping incidents were reported across England in 2021/22, down from 5,538 incidents the previous year.

Fly tipping can also constitute a major expense to farmers, with clean-up costs ranging from £1,000 for smaller incidents to as high as £10,000.

Respondents to the Environment Agency’s third national survey on waste crime estimated that around 18% of waste in England is illegally managed, equivalent to 34 million tonnes every year, enough to fill 4 million skips.

However, only 24% of waste crime is perceived to be reported to the authorities, with many organisations raising concerns around reporting mechanisms and enforcement action.

Of respondents who had been impacted by waste crime, the financial costs (of clean-up and otherwise) and the disruption to business affected the highest percentage of respondents, with some variation between groups.

Source National Waste Crime Survey 2023.

The survey also found that increased cost of living is believed to be accelerating the scale of waste crime, as individuals and businesses seek to minimise costs. Moreover, respondents estimated that almost a third (31%) of waste crime is committed by organised crime groups, while 18% were aware of criminal activities being arranged via Facebook.

Meanwhile, an overwhelming majority of participants felt that the Environment Agency lacks adequate resources to effectively handle waste crime. The general consensus was that waste crime requires severe sanctions, with court-issued penalties, visible activities, disruption tactics and criminal sanctions considered the most effective deterrents.

Jacob Hayler, executive director of the Environmental Services Association (ESA), commented:

“The survey response reinforces the fact that waste crime is widespread and underscores the need for effective and well-resourced enforcement alongside tougher penalties for those successfully prosecuted. The ESA and its members want to work with the Environment Agency, and the Joint Unit for Waste Crime, to help achieve these goals.”

The survey findings provide the Agency with the evidence needed to update and refine approaches to enforcement continually as criminals shift their ways of working. Stopping and shutting down criminals in the waste sector remains a top priority.

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Held at the NFU headquarters at Stoneleigh Park in Warwickshire, the conference explored ways of combatting high levels of rural crime across Britain, including raising awareness among rural communities, preventative measures, and sharing key information and intelligence.

According to the latest figures from NFU Mutual, the cost of GPS thefts exceeded £500,000 in the first four months of 2023 alone, which is more than double when compared to the same period last year.

NFU vice president David Exwood commented: “Highly organised gangs of criminals continue to plague the great British countryside, stealing livestock and expensive GPS equipment, trespassing on private land and regularly fly-tipping tons of rubbish; their actions significantly impact farm businesses, farming families and rural communities, both financially and emotionally.

“Today’s conference demonstrates the importance of a collaborative approach with farmers, policymakers and police forces working together effectively at national and local level to help protect farmers, their livestock and possessions, all underpinned by solid legislation.”

Bob Henderson, NFU Mutual lead on Rural Crime, added: “We know that specialist police support is highly effective in tackling rural crime.

“Since NFU Mutual funded and set up a dedicated agricultural vehicle theft unit in 2010 it has shared intelligence, delivered training, and worked with police forces across the country and overseas to seize millions of pounds of stolen machinery.

“This team is now part of the new Rural Crime Unit which will strengthen work at a national level so that specialist police resources can be targeted where they are needed most to protect farmers and the wider rural community. We are proud to be the primary funders of the new unit and wish it every success in its work.”

Head of the National Rural Crime Unit, Superintendent Andy Huddleston, thanked the NFU and NFU Mutual for hosting the inaugural event, which was joined by all rural crime operational Inspectors from across all regions of the UK.

He also praised the impactful work of rural crime leads who have been integral to tackling the issue throughout Britain, but emphasized the need for further action.

“In the face of increasing thefts around machinery and GPS thefts, as well as instances of livestock theft and fly-tipping, there is an urgent need to improve coordination and partnership problem solving, regionally and nationally, as well as sharing the many instances of best practice such as Rural Watch, Partnerships Against Rural Crime and Rural Crime Volunteers.

“The newly formed National Rural Crime Unit (NRCU) is designed to do this and support UK police forces combat the organised crime groups that target rural communities.”

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According to Suffolk police, the first incident took place overnight between 7pm on 29th March and 7am on 30th March, when a farm in Friston had three GPS trackers and 3 Pro 700 screens taken from three different tractors (crime ref: 37/18531/23). Around 300 litres of Ad Blue was also drained out of a container, with the value of equipment stolen totalling £15,000.

The second incident saw three GPS screens, a total control screen and three GPS domes stolen from three tractors at a farm in Bedingfield from Monday 3^rd April at 9pm to Tuesday 4^th April at 7.15am (crime ref: 37/19528/23).

Meanwhile, the third incident occurred at some point between 4pm on Monday 3^rd April and 7am on Tuesday 4^th April at a farm in Hoxne that had a GPS system valued at £10,000 taken from a tractor (crime ref: 37/19778/23).

Investigations are currently ongoing and the police have linked the three recent incidents. Authorities also believe those responsible for the thefts had a high degree of knowledge of how to access the site and the units.

Enquires are ongoing to track down the criminal(s) responsible for the thefts and anyone who has seen any suspicious activity relating to these incidents or knows of the whereabouts of the stolen goods should contact Suffolk police quoting the relevant crime number.

The public can also contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111, or via their online form: www.crimestoppers-uk.org with any relevant information.

To prevent any further cases, farmers, land owners and businesses in possession of GPS equipment are asked to remain vigilant of any suspicious activity and consider the following safety advice:

• If possible, remove all kit from machines when not in use, especially if the machinery is left out overnight
• Review security at your premises, as well as premises where such equipment is serviced and sold
• Record the serial number and take a digital image of the number
• Security mark the kit, possibly with a UV marker or permanent black marker, with the name of your location and postcode to make it unattractive to a would-be thief.

Farmers are also advised to review the farm security checklist compiled by the Norfolk and Suffolk police.

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