Rural crime: Just one in four country dwellers happy with police
Just 27 per cent of countryside dwellers have confidence in the police, according to a new survey.
The National Rural Crime Survey reported that the figure was down by 11 per cent compared to when the same question was asked three years ago.
The survey also found that 69 per cent of farmers and rural business owners had been victims of crime over the past year. Six in 10 said they feared being affected in future.
Julia Mulligan, chairman of the National Rural Crime Network which commissioned the study, said that rural areas were often treated as the poor relations to urban ones when it came to police resources.
"Crime, and the fear of crime, is leading to emotional strain and a loss of confidence," she said.
"A third of rural people believe that crime has a moderate or great impact on their lives.
"This survey busts the myths about who we tend to think of as vulnerable when we think of rural crime, and shows that farmers, young people and hard working families are most affected and feeling most vulnerable."
The findings were echoed by members of Shropshire's farming community.
Bruce Udale, who keeps a farm at Eyton, near Telford, said people in the area had given up reporting minor crimes.
“The response is so slow from the police, we don’t bother reporting it unless its something serious, that you need a number for the insurance.
Andrew Bebb, a farmer from Hanwood, near Shrewsbury, said the police were in a difficult situation.
He said it was important that people who lived in rural communities did would they could to help them.
West Mercia police and crime commissioner John Campion said the figures were disappointing, but admitted he was not surprised.
He said he and Chief Constable Anthony Bangham were committed to addressing the problem, but it would take time.
Crisis fear on rural crime
Head of Shropshire police, Chief Supt Kevin Purcell, said he was disappointed by the findings, but pointed out it was a national survey. He said officers in the county worked tirelessly to reduce rural crime.
But the results of the poll came as little surprise to farmers in Shropshire.
Bruce Udale said: “The response is so slow from the police, we don’t bother reporting it unless its something serious, that you need a number for the insurance.
“A lot of fly-tipping and minor theft, it really is a waste of time reporting it these days, they can’t follow it up, they haven’t got the time. If we see illegal hare-coursing or poaching, we don’t bother, we let them get on with it.
“Years ago we used to have a local policeman we knew, and he could sort things out.”
Andrew Bebb, who keeps a farm at Hanwood, near Shrewsbury, said he was surprised as many as 27 per cent had confidence in the police.
But he did say police in his own area were doing the best they could, and praised the decision to give neighbourhood officers mobile phones so the public could contact them.
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“I think the police realise rural crime is very bad at the moment, but they are trying to improve the situation.
“The important thing is that we work together. There are such limited resources for the police at the moment, we have go to do as much as we can to help, we have got to collaborate.”
More than 20,000 people took part in the survey, with 288 responses from the West Mercia force area and 190 from Dyfed-Powys.
West Mercia Police and Crime Commissioner John Campion said the results of the survey were disappointing but not surprising.
“I’ve often heard that people in rural communities don’t feel as supported,” he said.
“It is something that will take time to change but the chief constable and I are working on ensuring all of our communities can continue to be safe and feel safe.”
He said that in November last year he invested in designated rural and business officers.
“I am regularly reassured by the work they are doing to prevent crime and understand and address community needs,” said Mr Campion.
He added that some of the concerns raised fell outside the police’s remit.
“Ongoing work with partners ensures communities get the help and support they need,” said Mr Campion.
“I am committed to listening to concerns of the public and our communities should be reassured that I will continue to hold the force to account to ensure they act upon the recommendations made.”
The group’s report, entitled Life On The Edge, found that a growing number of communities felt “frustrated at the way crime, deprivation and vulnerability is hidden by a picture postcard view of the countryside.”
Not simply a question of resources
Network chairman Julia Mulligan said it was not simply a question of resources.
“This survey demonstrates that rural communities are being left behind, far and above their urban counterparts, and it also shows that what rural communities need is very different to urban communities,” she said.
“I do not doubt the effort some police services have put into turning this tide, but if nothing more, this report demonstrates the sheer scale of the problem being faced.
“With 10.3 million people living in rural areas, these are trends we can no longer ignore. We can no longer continue to see funding being sucked from rural areas to urban.”
Mr Purcell said: “While this is a national survey it is disappointing that it appears the majority of people who are living in rural areas are dissatisfied with police.
“Our teams across the county work tirelessly to keep our communities safe, every town, village and hamlet across the county is covered by a safer neighbourhood team with a dedicated safer neighbourhood officer.
“They are the familiar faces you see on patrol, at local meetings and attending local events with their priority getting to know our local communities and helping to resolve the issues that concern them the most.”
Mr Purcell added that the force also had specialist rural and business crime officers who offered advice and support.
“They provide invaluable reassurance and have a wealth of knowledge and experience around rural crime,” he said.
Mr Purcell urged people to report crimes to the police, adding that many offences were committed by criminals travelling into the area, often as part of larger organised networks.
“It is vital we are aware of what is happening right across the county so we can take action,” he said.
Mr Purcell added that over the summer officers would be making themselves available for people to discuss their concerns.
“One of our key priorities getting out and about meeting local residents,” he said.
Mr Purcell said the force’s mobile police station would continue its tour throughout the county.
“During the summer months we look forward to attending the many county and agricultural shows that take place across the county and would encourage anyone who goes along to come and have a chat with us,” he said.
Mrs Mulligan added: “These results are stark and worrying. Crime is up. Anger is up. Frustration is up. Trust is down. Those rating the police as good is down. With 10.3 million people living in rural areas, these are trends we can no longer ignore. We can no longer continue to see funding being sucked from rural areas to urban.”
Crime focus
Burglaries
The Albrighton Trust, Moat and Gardens’ charity, which supports people with disabilities, suffered £1,000 worth of damage during an attempted break in.
The vandals broke through the wall of the workshop which activated a security alarm.
Nothing was stolen from inside.
It is the second time in two years that the woodwork studio has been broken into at the charity’s premises, in Blue House Lane. Previously, valuable power tools were stolen from inside.
Charity administrator Steve Jimson said: “My heart breaks for the Moat’s disabled woodcrafters who have worked so hard to raise the money to build their workshop.
“This is the second time in less than two years they have suffered because of a break-in – last time valuable power tools were stolen.
“Why target a charity?”
The Albrighton Trust, Moat and Gardens – which celebrated its 25th anniversary last year – offers educational and recreational activities for people disadvantaged by disability, special needs or illness.
Arson attacks
Nearly 400 fires were started deliberately across the county in the space of 12 months.
Firefighters were called to deal with 382 fires that had been deliberately started in the 12 months up until April last year.
Just over half of these were in Telford & Wrekin, but there was also a significant number in the rural areas as well.
Nineteen arson attacks were recorded in Church Stretton, Minsterley and Oswestry, 29 across south Shropshire and 23 across the north of the county.
There were also 73 in Shrewsbury.
At Tern Hill, near Market Drayton, Adrian Mash lost more than 600 tons of straw and a barn in an arson attack two years ago – just over a week after 65 tons of straw were set on fire on his land.
However, the number of arson incidents has fallen dramatically in recent years, from 1,216 in 2011-12.
It comes following an introduction of education initiatives by firefighters and fire officers in schools, such as the Be Cool Be Safe quiz and the Crucial Crew education event for pupils.
Fly-tipping
Farmer Andrew Nicholls was left with an £18,000 clean-up bill after fly-tippers dumped about 100 tons of waste on his land.
Mr Nicholls, of Hill End Farm in Rudge Heath near Claverley had securely locked the gates to his property, but the offenders still broke in.
The mountains of semi-processed waste had blocked access to his sheep and some of his important tools.
The farmer said fly-tippers then tied the gate shut to give the impression that it was still closed and throw off any suspicion.
Mr Nicholls said he didn’t understand why it had happened to his farm.
“It cost us up to £18,000 to clear somebody else’s rubbish,” he said.
It is just one of a spate of fly-tipping incidents across the country over the past couple of years.
Last month, the Shropshire Star reported how a quiet lane at Yorton Heath, near Shrewsbury, had been plagued by illegal dumping. On one occasion, a sofa, cushions and general household waste were dumped in the road.
Thefts ‘out of control’
Farmer Richard Yates last year said farm crime was out of control after having two quad bikes stolen in the space of four months.
Mr Yates, who keeps a dairy farm at Middleton Scriven, near Bridgnorth, delayed purchasing a replacement after the theft of his first quad bike, fearing the thieves would return.
But when he did replace it, thieves struck again.
Mr Yates said one nearby farmer had been struck by burglars six times, that hare coursing was a growing problem, and that he had also seen a wooden gate stolen from one of his fields beside the A442, potentially allowing sheep to wander out onto the busy Bridgnorth to Telford road.
Livestock theft is another major problem.
Thieves take advantage of the rural nature of the county to take animals from fields.
In August last year more than 100 sheep were stolen from two farms near Llanwrtyd Wells in Powys.
In 2016 Seven rare Australian-kelpie puppies were snatched from a farm in Clunton, near Clun, before being found abandoned in Conwy, North Wales.
