Rural crime cost Wales £2m last year
Quad bikes, oil & diesel and garden equipment top thieves’ wish-list
UK statistics show rural crime cost an estimated £42.5 million in 2015
Rural crime cost Wales £2 million in 2015, the same figure as in 2014 –while also remaining broadly static across the UK. The figures form part of NFU Mutual’s annual Rural Crime Report, revealing that the cost of rural crime to the UK economy has now reached £42.5 million a year.
According to the leading rural insurer, the items most commonly targeted by thieves across South Wales over the last 12 months were quad bikes (ATVs), oil and diesel and garden equipment, however, the cost of ATV thefts in Wales has fallen by 37% from 2014.
Top five targeted items nationally:
ATV / Quad Bikes
Machinery
Farm and commercial tools
Garden equipment
Livestock
Top five types of crime nationally:
Vehicle Theft
Burglary
Rural Business Theft
Livestock Theft
Vandalism
Tim Price, NFU Mutual Rural Affairs Specialist: “Rural thieves are becoming increasingly sophisticated and using computers rather than bolt cutters to steal from farms and country properties. Farmers and police have been working hard to adopt high-tech security measures to tackle the problems which now include: cloning tractor identities, advertising non-existent machinery in agricultural publications and stealing the GPS computer systems which are a key part of modern farming.”
There has been a shift in the items being targeted at rural homes as well; in the latest survey of NFU Mutual’s agency network, the theft of garden equipment was sited as the biggest growing trend along with 4x4’s.
“However, it is reassuring to see levels of rural crime are not rising in Wales, and reflects the huge efforts being made by anti crime schemes throughout the countryside," said Tim.
The majority of NFU Mutual Agent’s surveyed (65%) also reported that thieves in their area are becoming more sophisticated in the way that they operate and cyber crime is also a growing concern amongst their communities.
The survey also revealed that social media is now the main resource for sharing information about crime in rural communities and is a valuable tool – not only in the prevention of rural crime but also for catching criminals and returning stolen goods.
“Our advice to people living and working in the countryside remains the same; evaluate your current security measures making improvements where necessary, remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity to the local police but also community watch schemes," concluded Tim.
For more information and advice on how to beat rural crime in your area visit www.nfumutual.co.uk/ruralcrime
