Police urge farming communities to report rural crime

Victims of rural crime have been urged to report incidents as a fifth base for specialist police officers opens.

Thames Valley Police (TVP) launched its Rural Crime Taskforce in March 2022 and 26 staff are based at offices in Banbury, Buckingham, Abingdon and Newbury. A fifth opened with five staff in Maidenhead earlier.

One farmer from Berkshire said he has fortified his site to make it more difficult for criminals to steal or smash up equipment, which he said happens routinely.

Insp Chris Ball, who leads the taskforce, said rural crime has dropped by about 10% over the past year, part of a "quite significant" drop over recent years.

Colin Rayner, who has been farming near Slough since 1976 and whose family has been farmed in the area since the 16th Century, said "everything possible" has been stolen over recent years.

"We've had tractors stolen, we've had machinery, equipment, small tools, diesel [stolen]," he said.

"We've had to make our farm into a medieval fort with dirt bunds to stop people smashing through fences.

"It's not what they steal, it just means the next day we can't plant our crops because we're missing a tractor or a JCB. If they can't steal it, they'll smash it."

Dan Willis, who runs a farm near Newbury, said rural communities do their best "to look after one another".

He added: "The rural crime squad has been set up. It is more proactive than ever, but as per usual they face such strict budgets, they can't do the job we need.

"What we lack is continuity in the police. We get guys, they start to learn the area, they know the area, they know the people. Three years later they've moved on, we're faced with fresh faces who have no idea of you from Adam. That's difficult."

Ball said TVP has "invested significantly" in tackling rural crime. Last year the force said it had returned hundreds of items to their owners, including 88 caravans and 441 vehicles.

"The biggest frustration I have with the rural community is the lack of reporting," Ball said.

"Nothing is insignificant. Just tell us. If you tell us and we do nothing, hold us to account. But if you don't tell us, we can't act."