Rural crime in Lancashire

Reporter Will Atherton on the increasingly-pressing issue of rural crime in Lancashire

Transcript

00:00Hi there, my name's Will Atherton and I'm a digital reporter here at the Lancashire

00:05Evening Post. Today we're going to be talking about the impact of rural crime

00:09within the region. This is part of our hidden crime series. This comes after

00:14Lancashire Police announced that their South Rural Task Force, the team that

00:18fights rural crime, is getting bolstered in officer numbers. The team will now

00:23have seven officers instead of the previous four. The South Rural Task Force

00:27was established in 2021 and covers areas such as Preston, Chorley, South Ribble and

00:33West Lancashire. Some of their jobs include fighting machinery theft,

00:37stopping poachers and protecting rural and wildlife habitats. Over the past

00:43three years the team, which is headed up by Sergeant Darren Carr, has made a

00:47positive impact on rural communities across the region. The team's biggest

00:52accomplishments include making 57 arrests, seizing 194 stolen vehicles and

00:58machines and reducing hair coursing by over 60%. The team was recognised for

01:03their excellence when they won the Rob Oliver Award, which recognises those who

01:07fight against machinery theft in the UK. They also raised over £5,000 for the

01:12RABI, a very important charity which supports farmers with things like

01:17financial help and mental health worries. However, despite their great work

01:22many farmers feel as though the team has not been doing enough to combat rural

01:26crime and feel as though even with the boosted numbers they will still struggle

01:30to meet demands. Personally I have some experience with rural crime. I work as a

01:35farmhand during my spare time and the farm which I work on has suffered from a

01:40number of different crimes including quad bike theft, machinery theft and

01:46killed animals. The impact that rural crime has on farms and farmers cannot be

01:50understated. Every time a vehicle is stolen, an animal is killed or a habitat

01:55is destroyed, the farmer feels the effects personally. I have some

01:58experience in dealing with rural crime. I live in the countryside and I have

02:03spent months working as a farmhand on local farms around the area. I've seen

02:08firsthand how much this means to farmers and how devastating the impacts of rural

02:13crime can be. Many farmers I've spoken to have expressed their happiness and

02:18relief following the announcement. The National Farmers Union has also released

02:21a statement saying that they are pleased that Lancashire Police has put concerted

02:25effort into combating rural crime in the region. They also express the desire for

02:30rural crime to become a priority not only here in Lancashire but in the

02:34national picture as well.