Lincolnshire Police arrest 22 in hare coursing crackdown

A major police crackdown on hare coursing in Lincolnshire has resulted in 22 arrests and a significant number of dog and vehicle seizures.

Lincolnshire Police’s rural crime team seized 23 dogs and seven cars in addition to the arrests made throughout November.

The force said the month-long disruption of hare coursing in the county was a success due to the public calling in incidents and officers responding quickly.

See also: What to do if you’re a victim of… hare coursing

The majority of the incidents happened in the south of the county, in particular the South Holland area.

In one, at Amber Hill, near Boston, officers arrested two men on suspicion of hare coursing offences after the Subaru Forester they were travelling in collided with a coach at Swineshead Bridge.

The men were released on bail on 29 November and investigations are ongoing.

Supt Lee Pache, head of specialist operations at Lincolnshire Police, said: “This has been a real team effort and I would like to thank the public for continuing to report hare coursing incidents to us.

“The reports and patrols of our officers led to arrests, and we await the court appearances and outcomes.

“We continue to build close links with our rural communities which has helped us build intelligence around where hare coursers operate and sometimes who they are.

“Some criminals will travel hundreds of miles to be involved and are often associated with organised crime gangs.”