South East Rural Crime Week

South East Rural Crime Week

This week, police forces across the South East are working together to intensify their operations to combat rural crime.

Neighbourhood Watch Coordinators and Partners can assist in raising awareness of rural crime and encouraging scheme members to report rural and wildlife crimes via Live Chat and the Kent Police website. Reporting crimes that took place at the time to 999

Rural crime is a problem in many parts of our nation, but it frequently goes unreported. It can affect insurance premiums, food costs, and deteriorate local communities. Rural residents experience unsafe conditions in their own homes, harm to wildlife and plant species, and have to pay the price for theft and criminal damage. Local businesses in rural areas can experience negative effects on their income and cashflow.

Many farmers who have unforgivably been the victims of the theft of farm equipment, vehicles, GPS units, livestock, horses, or fuel continue to be a major issue in the agricultural sector. Rural thieves have grown beyond opportunistic locals. Organized and occasionally international criminal gangs have taken control of criminal activity in recent years, and emerging illicit markets have increased the demand for stolen equipment.

Wildlife crime refers to deeds committed against UK laws to protect the environment and plant species. It also threatens the survival of some species, as well as inflicting pain and suffering on animals like hares, birds of prey, and bats.

It may be related to serious crimes like organized crime and firearms crimes, as well as an association with cyber-crime as a result of the streaming of illegal activities ( such as badger-baiting ) that reach towns and cities for betting.

Environmental crimes include fly-tipping, arson, and heritage crimes, as well as serious and organized waste crimes. Waste crime can take many different forms, including the very visible dumping of waste, fraudulent producer responsibility claims, intentional permits violations, metal theft, and the growing problem of the waste industry being used to launder money.

For more information on the various types of rural and wildlife crimes that can be reported online, see the following:

Wildlife crime includes:

• poaching
• coursing
• persecution of birds, bats, and badgers
• egg collection and theft
• trade in endangered species and animal products is being collected.
• not registering animals that need a license
• removing the plants that are protected
• use of poisons, snares, or explosives to kill or harm animals
• animal abuse
• hunting with dogs
• introducing invasive species
• killing or capturing, destroying or destroying any protected animal’s habitat

Among rural crimes are:

• theft of farm machinery, agricultural machinery, or property damage
• tack theft
• lead theft from churches
• damage done to antiquities monuments
• metal detecting is prohibited
• livestock concern

Click on the link below to learn more about rural crime prevention.

| Kent Police | Stop the rural crime

Source: suttonbydoverparishcouncil.org.uk