Rural Crime

The Gladis campaign hails success as new government Bill clamps down on livestock worrying.

Hertfordshire farmer Eveey Hunter this week suffered significant damage to three vehicles as thieves targeted GPS equipment and tractor terminals/screens – and according to her machinery dealer, she was far from the only one.

Farmers and the wider public are being urged to remain vigilant as credit card scams have been circulating in Pembrokeshire.

Charity’s appeal follows new NFU Mutual report revealing highly organised criminals have been plaguing rural areas during the pandemic.

Fly-tipping causes huge damage and stress for farmers, but currently has few disincentives for anyone caught. As cases continue to rise, calls for harsher penalties have now come from a major collective of local authorities and professional bodies

While the overall cost of rural theft fell by 20 per cent in 2020 as Covid-19 kept thieves out of the countryside, other rural crimes rose sharply, and NFU Mutual is warning that organised criminals are returning with new tactics.

As peak summer holiday season arrives in the UK the National Sheep Association (NSA) is warning holidaymakers of the risk posed by their pets to sheep they may encounter during their countryside breaks.

Despite being banned in 2004 as part of the Hunting Act, hare coursing remains a costly and distressing problem for farmers across the UK

The theft of equipment from construction sites and farms has a significant impact on the businesses targeted from both the loss and replacement of the equipment taken, in addition to the cost of temporarily reduced activity and downtime within these sectors.

Rural insurer NFU Mutual has revealed the estimated cost of dog attacks on farm animals in the first quarter of 2021 rose by a staggering 50 per cent. As more people continue to use the countryside, awareness of the dangers dogs pose remains low.

A total of 18 lambs died after they were discovered dead or seriously injured, in a dog attack that is believed to be deliberate.

Dog thefts have been a rising problem in the UK for some time, but a lockdown pet boom has exacerbated the problem to incredible levels. It’s estimated that dog thefts have risen by 170% since the start of the pandemic.