Avon and Somerset Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) Sue Mountstevens was supporting a national day of action to tackle rural crime earlier this week.
As part of the National Police Chiefs Council’s new Rural Affairs Strategy, officers from Avon and Somerset will be visiting farms and rural communities to offer crime prevention advice, help with marking equipment and promoting membership of the Farm Watch, Horse Watch and Neighbourhood Watch schemes.
Officers will be patrolling remote and vulnerable areas where rural crime such as fly tipping, poaching and theft has previously taken place. Local police teams will also be talking to recent victims of crime to discuss security and offer marking of tools and equipment.
PCC Sue Mountstevens said: “Rural Crime Day of Action is a great opportunity to pull together to tackle rural crime and to offer advice and reassurance to our farming communities. Rural crime has a significant impact on the livelihoods of our famers and this is not acceptable. This day of action will build on the invaluable work already undertaken by the police to shut the gate on rural crime.”
Neighbourhood Police Team Sergeant, Andrew Murphy, added: “We understand the impact that rural crime has on our farming communities and we want to work with local residents to prevent such crime from happening in the first place. We already work closely with farmers and will continue to discuss ways we can improve our service to respond to the needs of local communities and rural businesses.”
For more information about on crime prevention in rural communities, please visit: https://www.avonandsomerset.
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