Wednesday, February 19, 2025

Cost of countryside crime tops £1m a week, says NFU

The NFU has called for action after the cost of rural crime cost the UK an estimated £52.8m in 2023, up from £50.6m the previous year, with GPS unit thefts rising by 137% to an estimated £4.2m.

Intelligence shows thieves frequently target several farms in one night before moving locations to steal these highly valuable and portable kits, often revisiting farmyards weeks later to steal any replacements.

Increases can also be seen in quad bike, ATV and livestock thefts, while the total claims cost for agricultural vehicle theft reported to NFU Mutual decreased by 9%.

NFU Vice President Rachel Hallos said: “As NFU Mutual’s report highlights, rural crime has continued to plague the British countryside over the past year. Criminals steal expensive GPS equipment, livestock and high-value farm machinery, while also trespassing on private land and regularly fly-tipping tons of rubbish.

“Not only does rural crime significantly cost the UK on a national level, but it also has a significant impact personally to those farm businesses and farming families financially and emotionally affected, leaving many rural communities feeling vulnerable and intimidated.”

Quad bikes and ATVs were top targets for rural thieves, with thefts up 9% to an estimated £3.2m in claim costs reported to NFU Mutual last year.

Sharp rises in inflation in 2023 made farming equipment an attractive target for organised gangs and meant each theft cost the rural community more than in previous years. But a co-ordinated response against crime saw a reduction in the number of agricultural vehicle claims reported to NFU Mutual.

Livestock theft remained high in 2023, at an estimated cost of £2.7m across the UK. Farm animals worth an estimated £2.4m were severely injured or killed in dog attacks across the UK in 2023, up nearly 30% compared to the previous year.

Rachel said these alarming trends needed urgent attention, adding that the NFU welcomed the Dogs (Protection of Livestock) (Amendment) Bill, due to be debated in the House of Lords when Parliament was dissolved prior to the election.

“It is crucial similar measures are introduced to stop this needless suffering to livestock,” Rachel said.

“The NFU was pleased to see a new Crime and Policing Bill introduced in the King’s Speech, and we look forward to seeing the details of this Bill when published.”

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