Early this summer, a gang dressed in black and wearing balaclavas approached an isolated farmhouse in County Durham as a couple in their 80s slept inside. The intruders had been staking out the property and knew exactly what to steal from the vehicles parked outside – a combine harvester’s expensive GPS equipment, which could be smuggled abroad. The farming family had fallen victim to what police describe as increasingly brazen organised crime.
The National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) announced on Tuesday a new three-year crackdown aimed at targeting over 20 gangs currently operating across the countryside. The government emphasized that this new policing strategy would be a “vital step” in tackling rural crime.
Organised Crime in the Countryside
According to the NPCC, more than 155 arrests linked to rural organised crime gangs have been made this year alone, with nearly £13 million worth of stolen farm equipment seized. Some of this equipment has been recovered from abroad, primarily from Eastern Europe.
The National Farmers’ Union (NFU) has expressed concern that criminal gangs have been targeting farmers’ machinery, livestock, and land for “too long,” calling for more support from specialist rural police officers.
A Farmer’s Perspective
William Maughan, a beef, poultry, and arable farmer in County Durham, experienced this crime firsthand. His farm, where his parents reside, was one of four in the local parish targeted on the same night. “It was very targeted. They knew exactly which equipment to take,” he told the BBC. “There’s obviously been a lot of work done in advance to plan it, and it’s not a nice feeling when that happens.”
Since the break-in, Mr. Maughan has invested in improved security measures. “We’re in the rolling countryside, in sleepy south Durham, so to be the victim of potentially international crime like this is quite hard to believe and it is quite shocking really,” he added.
Rising Costs and Increasing Threats
The figures do not tell the whole story. The estimated cost of tractor thefts alone rose by 17% to £1.5 million, indicating that some criminals are adopting a more targeted approach. The Country Land and Business Association (CLA), representing rural businesses and landowners, stated that farmers “have had enough of criminals and violent organised gangs targeting them.”
“The scale of the police response to those gangs was revealed on Tuesday with the launch of a new nationwide rural and wildlife crime strategy.”
The NPCC plans to use intelligence-led policing, data analysis, and crime mapping to identify crime hotspots and target resources effectively. A spokeswoman for the NPCC remarked that organised criminal gangs are “bringing a level of sophistication and menace that demands a robust and coordinated response.”
Comprehensive Strategy
Beyond machinery theft, the strategy identifies eight other priority crime areas, including livestock worrying and theft, illegal hunting and poaching, and crimes against protected species such as badgers, bats, and birds of prey. Rachel Hallos, vice-president of the NFU, welcomed the strategy as “recognition of the serious and organised nature of rural crime.”
“But delivery is key: farmers need visible policing, swift recovery of stolen equipment, and sentencing that deters repeat offenders,” Hallos added.
Future Implications
Crime and policing minister Sarah Jones highlighted the impact of rural crime, stating it “can wreak havoc on the livelihoods of farmers and countryside communities.” She emphasized that the strategy is a vital step in ensuring safer streets and announced new powers for the police to combat organised criminal gangs targeting the agricultural sector.
Looking forward, the minister assured that rural areas would experience more “visible policing” to deter future criminal activities. This initiative represents a significant step towards safeguarding the livelihoods of those living and working in the UK’s countryside.
