Countryside Unites Against Rural Crime

• Published date: 02 October 2023
• Subject Matter: Criminal Law, Crime
• Law Firm: Shepherd and Wedderburn LLP
• Author: Mr Hamish Lean

This article discusses the impact of criminal activity in the rural world, as outlined in the Rural Crime Report, and offers methods of prevention against such crime.

Comments on the NFU Rural Crime Report 2023

Rural crime is often an overlooked area in crime prevention.

Crime statistics in rural areas have increased considerably throughout the UK in recent years.

The recently published Rural Crime Report by the National Farmers Union revealed that rural crime cost the UK '49.5 million in 2022 - a 22.1% increase on the previous year.

With that being said, Scotland saw a decrease in figures as the Report revealed a near fifty per cent reduction in rural crime since 2021, costing '1.4 million, a fall from '2.6 million in 2021.

Despite this, the figures are still staggering and rural crime continues to blight Scotland's countryside.

Trends and markets for criminal activity

The extent of rural crime has changed significantly.

Long gone are the days of 'skilled opportunists', instead organised crime gangs are more likely to be the perpetrators.

As inflation rises, farms are often targeted as thieves take advantage of the lucrative re-sale market. This is coupled with the advancement of new farming GPS technologies, which have in turn created new illicit markets.

Agricultural vehicles and GPS theft continues to be the biggest driver when reviewing rural crime statistics.

The report highlights that the highly valuable and sophisticated GPS equipment tends to be the main target for thieves and cost the UK '1.8 million over the course of 2022.

Advanced technology has certainly had an impact on rural crime rates, not only for its re-sale value but is also frequently used by crime gangs as a mechanism for identifying targets.

In terms of other agricultural vehicle thefts across the UK, the report reveals the following statistics:

• Quad and ATV theft - '3 million (34% increase on 2021)
• Trailer theft - '2.9 million (66% increase on 2021)
• Land rover theft - '2.4 million (7% decrease on 2021)

Livestock theft and attacks

While livestock theft is not a new trend, the figures are certainly on the rise and can be one of the most expensive crimes for farmers and landowners.

The impact is significant, not only from an animal welfare perspective but also to the renowned breeding lines of the stock.

Furthermore, dog attacks on livestock have increased over recent years particularly during lambing season. While these are unlikely to be targeted attacks, the cost of such attacks...