There can be a dark side to countryside life (Image: Getty)
Rural crime is so serious that nearly one in five people surveyed by the Countryside Alliance say they have considered leaving the area where they live. Almost all respondents – 96% – say crime is a significant issue locally and nearly half – 45% – believe the police do not take rural crime seriously.
Nearly three out of four (73%) think crime has increased in the last 12 months in the latest evidence that rural communities feel less safe.
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Almost half (48%) of respondents say they felt intimidated by criminals or criminality and 18% have considered moving away.
Around four out of 10 (39%) respondents had personally experienced rural crime in the past year. Forty-four percent of these incidents involved fly-tipping, 32% concerned agricultural machinery theft and 31% were to do with illegal hare or deer poaching.
Rural crime is in the spotlight after a series of harrowing incidents. West Dartmoor farmer Colin Abel recently described how he has lost nearly ￡500,000 worth of livestock to sheep rustling.
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Farm equipment theft is often believed to be linked to organised crime gangs who export sought-after items to Europe and beyond.
The survey found nearly a third of crimes (32%) are never reported to the police. Of those who did report an incident, nearly half (48%) were dissatisfied with the response – and 85% say the police cannot be relied on to be there when you need them.
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Of the half of respondents who installed crime prevention measures – 15% acquired guard dogs while 71% invested in security lighting.
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According to the Countryside Alliance: “The implication of these findings is that we have a rural population simply putting up with the crime they experience and making do as best they can. There is often no escape from the effects of rural crime, with the fear of crime doing just as much damage as the crimes that are committed.”
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Tim Bonner, the chief executive of the group, said: “Tackling crime and increasing police visibility is a priority for those living in the countryside, and while there is increasing awareness in the corridors of Westminster of the growing problem of rural crime, this awareness is often not felt by the communities that live and work in the countryside.”
The National Rural Crime Unit and National Wildlife Crime Unit will receive a funding boost of more than ￡800,000. Environment Secretary Steve Reed considers that for too long “rural crime has gone unpunished” and has pledged to “crack down on these criminals and bring them to justice”.