|
|
 Crimestoppers
Hampshire Crimestoppers is continuing the fight against Rural Crime
by targeting would-be thieves across Hampshire. Crimestoppers is fighting
back with a campaign to stop theft of farm machinery and equipment. This
may include oil, diesel, batteries, metal for its scrap value, tools, quad bikes,
agricultural chemicals, tractors, and even livestock.
Rural crime costs the country a great deal - an estimated £50 million to
million worth of plant and agricultural machinery is stolen nationally every year,
and only 5% of this stolen property is ever recovered. Stealing this valuable
equipment – some of which is worth tens of thousands of pounds - may have a
lasting effect on its victims who may be unable to carry on their day-to-day
business without them. Thieves see it as easy to steal from outbuildings on
farms, due to limited surveillance and lack of street lighting away from urban
areas.
Rural crime affects us all wherever we might live. We all finish up paying the
price with increased insurance premiums and the potential increase in food
costs. We would all soon notice if there was no milk because a local farmer could
no longer operate his business!
It is very important not to buy anything suspicious ‘out the back of a van’, at a
car boot sale or from a website. You may think you’re getting a bargain on that
chainsaw, or power tools, but you’re actually contributing to the crime – if people
didn’t buy stolen goods, there would be no point the thief stealing them in the
first place. You may also find yourself explaining to the Police and a Court why
you thought the cheap quad bike with no paperwork that you bought from a
bloke down the pub was a genuine purchase.
The recession has increased pressure on rural communities and this makes
more important that people who have vital knowledge have a safe and anonymous
way to give information. We understand that rural communities are close-knit
and trust is an important part of rural life, so people may be aware of who is
committing these crimes but don’t feel comfortable giving this information
directly to the police. This is where Crimestoppers can help, by providing
contact details for people to pass on information about crimes anonymously.
Recent Crimestoppers campaigns to fight Rural Crime have proved
successful. We looked at the threat of travelling criminals who commit rural
theft, and the importance of information and intelligence. We are very proud of
the results of these campaigns and intend to build on their successes. We know
that this new campaign around Hampshire will continue the good work
done in increasing awareness of this serious national problem.
If you’ve information about any crime, please call Crimestoppers on 0800
555111, or log on to www.crimestoppers-uk.org Your call is free, no one will know
you called and you may earn a cash reward. You can also follow me on twitter
@HantsCrimestopp
PC Simon Wright
Article posted on: 04 March 2013
< List all News
|
|
|
