Essex police use loan tractor to spread rural crime message
© Essex Police A New Holland tractor has joined the ranks of Essex Police to encourage farmers to report more incidents of crime in the countryside.
Farm machinery dealership Ernest Doe has loaned the police force one of its T6 tractors, manufactured by Basildon-based New Holland Agriculture, until the end of June.
Essex Police’s Rural Engagement Team will take the distinctive 7t tractor – decked out in police livery – to agricultural shows and other rural events across the county, in a bid to engage showgoers.
See also: Hants farmers encouraged to use app to report rural crime
The team will be discussing crime prevention and rural crime and anti-social behaviour in their communities – such as hare coursing, fly-tipping and machinery theft – as well as how to report it.
The T6 tractor will make its first appearance at the 62nd annual Doe Show, held at Ernest Doe’s Ulting headquarters, on 7-9 February.
Its final appearance is scheduled for the Essex Young Farmers Show in Roxwell on 21 May.
Essex Police chief inspector Terry Balding said: “We understand how the theft of a vehicle can affect livelihoods and businesses, or leave people isolated.
“We understand how hare coursers can intimidate farm and estate workers and cause extensive damage to cropland. And we understand that there are many crimes which are unique to rural communities.
“We take all reports of crime and anti-social behaviour very seriously, but we need them to be reported to us as soon as possible.
“This gives us a better chance of catching the culprits and helps us to build an accurate picture of unlawful activity in our communities.”
Poaching offences almost halved in Northumbria since police crackdown
The number of reported incidents of poaching in Northumbria almost halved between 2020 and 2022, following a crackdown by police.
Northumbria Police said there were 312 reported poaching offences in 2022 – almost half the 616 offences reported in the county in 2020.
The force set up a dedicated rural policing team in June 2020 tasked with preventing and tackling rural acquisitive crime, wildlife and poaching offences, which involves the illegal taking of deer, game and hare coursing.
Police have since been carrying out targeted activity under Operation Hawkeye across the north of England and Scotland, alongside neighbouring police forces, volunteers and partners.
Inspector Garry Neill, of Northumbria Police’s rural policing tea, said: “Tackling and preventing poaching offences has been a priority for the team over the past few years.”
“These offenders often use dogs to indiscriminately kill wildlife while leaving behind a trail of destruction by damaging fields and fences with vehicles.
“We will be looking to maintain the recent momentum and continue to hit rural criminals hard throughout 2023.”
Northumbria Police is urging farmers and people living in rural communities to join its Farmwatch scheme.
For more information, email crime.prevention@northumbria.pnn.police.uk.