New crime tsar targets technology to thwart rural thieves

The new rural and wildlife crime co-ordinator for Wales has said emerging technology will help farmers push back against crime in the countryside.

Rob Taylor, who set up North Wales Police’s rural crime team in 2013, started his new role in June – the first of its kind in the UK.

The co-ordinator post has been created by the Welsh government, along with Wales’ police forces, to strengthen the response to rural and wildlife crime across the country.

See also: Rural crime: The mental and financial toll on farmers

Mr Taylor told Farmers Weekly that a number of farms in Wales are trialing technology designed to protect farmers and their property from rural thieves, as part of the Future Farms Cymru project.

Vehicle pressure pads, livestock tracking collars and smart sensors are all being looked at as ways to help protect businesses.

This includes six farms in north Wales that are piloting smart sensors, which operate through a low-power, long-range, wide area access network, and can detect when a tractor or quad bike is being moved and data on these movements is logged on an app.

Other options include floating smart sensors in diesel tanks, which alert farmers if there is a sudden drop in the tank’s fuel level.

Technology is needed

Mr Taylor said he was confident that the technology would drive down rural crime in Wales.

“This project will really decrease the number of thefts of quad bikes, tractors and trailers because the prevention is another level.

“This is not just a lock on a gate or a CCTV camera that may or may not work, this is using the latest technology, which isn’t expensive, to really alleviate issues.

“If farms have these installed, the criminals are going to be aware of it and think twice. Technology is needed for rural crime prevention.”

A new website is expected to properly launch the Future Farms Cymru project, where farmers can find out more about the crime prevention technology and also access mental health and wellbeing support.

Mr Taylor said he would be working with Natural Resources Wales and local councils to tackle fly-tipping, as well as meeting with Wales’ farming unions to understand their priorities.

Expert knowledge

“We are much stronger working as one unit to tackle all the issues we have,” Mr Taylor said.

“This role is about bringing in the experts in the different areas.

“I’ve got a wide knowledge of wildlife crime and rural crime because of my previous role, however, I am very aware that I need to bring other experts, and I’ll have the freedom to do that.”

The new crime tsar will also oversee revamped education programmes for children about the impact of rural and wildlife crime, as well as setting up bespoke farm police training, where officers will visit farms to learn about livestock handling and working in rural environments.

Livestock worrying

Mr Taylor welcomed the tougher legislation to tackle livestock worrying in England and Wales.

The former police sergeant has been instrumental in pushing the new law through parliament.

“The way we have written this new law through, speaking to many different people, I think we have really got there.

“We have been very meticulous. It is going to change the endemic issue we have of dog attacks in the UK.”

Wales’ rural affairs minister, Lesley Griffiths, said Mr Taylor’s experience and expertise would be crucial for the role, which the government has funded for an initial 12-month pilot.

The minister met the new crime co-ordinator at Dyfi Osprey Project, near Machynlleth, on Thursday 1 July to discuss plans for the year ahead.