There has been £113,000 worth of funding put forward from the Humberside Police and Crime Commissioner which will pay for two Polaris Ranger XP 1000 all-terrain vehicles, as well as ANPR (automatic number plate recognition) cameras, thermal imaging monoculars and other essential hardware that the Rural Task Force and others will use to help combat crime.

Free crime-prevention measures, such as property marking and tracking solutions, will also be available to farmers and other people in rural communities to help prevent theft of agricultural vehicle and equipment and recover stolen items.

New "Thieves beware" signs will be put up to discourage opportunistic thieves and make people feel safer.

A new project promises to get tougher on rural crime in the East Riding, thanks to £113,000 funding from the Humberside Police and Crime Commissioner.
New all-terrain vehicles that will help in the fight against rural crime were on display as the East Riding Community Safety Partnership launched the project at the Driffield Show. — A new project promises to get tougher on rural crime in the East Riding, thanks to £113,000 funding from the Humberside Police and Crime Commissioner. New all-terrain vehicles that will help in the fight against rural crime were on display as the East Riding Community Safety Partnership launched the project at the Driffield Show.

The new ATVs were on display at last week’s show after the East Riding of Yorkshire Council developed the project in partnership with Humberside Police’s Rural Task Force, and in collaboration with North Lincolnshire Council.

It comes after years of concerns from rural communities in the East Riding that nothing was being done to tackle crime in the countryside but an uplift in police officer numbers has allowed for a dedicated rural taskforce to be created.

Sgt Kevin Jones, from the Rural Task Force, said: “Our aim has always been to disrupt, apprehend and prosecute the organised crime groups involved in rural crime, and to prevent the farming community from becoming victims of rural crime.

“This project will have a huge impact on how we tackle these incidents, and also means that we can provide people in our rural communities with new ways to protect their property in the event of a theft.

“The impact of rural crime to the farming and rural community cannot be underestimated, whether it be the emotional cost from being a victim, to the financial cost of replacing the high-value agricultural assets."

He said the police force is planning to organise days of action around rural crime hotspots to give crime prevention products to victims and vulnerable members of the farming community.

Coun Leo Hammond, East Riding of Yorkshire Council’s portfolio holder for planning, communities and public protection, added: “Rural crime continues to be a worry for people in many parts of the East Riding, and this project is a significant step in our efforts to empower, support and protect our communities.

“We’re grateful to the Humberside Police and Crime Commissioner for this funding, which will enhance the CSP’s effectiveness and help us collaborate better with all our partners.

“The project sends a clear message that we are determined to combat rural crime and ensure the safety of residents in our rural communities.”

The ongoing impact of rural crime on the countryside will be revealed by rural insurer NFU Mutual in its annual Rural Crime Report, which is being launched next week.

It will update on UK rural crime trends for 2022, give a breakdown of rural theft statistics and new schemes to tackle rural crime.

New ways to tackle rural crime in the East Riding of Yorkshire revealed at Driffield Show