Over 100 vehicles have been stopped during a two-day operation to disrupt and deter agricultural machinery theft in the South West.

The third iteration of Operation Ragwort, led by Wiltshire Police, took place on Monday 3 and Tuesday 4 March across two of Wiltshire’s major road networks, the A303 and the A419. Over the two days, officers from Wiltshire Police were joined by over 60 police officers and staff from Avon & Somerset Police, Devon & Cornwall Police, Dorset Police, Gloucestershire Constabulary, and Thames Valley Police, as well as partner agencies including vehicle examiners from the National Rural Crime Unit and Environment Agency officers.

Operation Ragwort is a joint initiative between the five police forces in the South West region, and the Police and Crime Commissioners for all five forces. The aim of this operation was to stop and check all vehicles towing trailers carrying quad bikes, livestock, agricultural equipment, and plant machinery along two key Wiltshire road networks, to prevent and disrupt the transportation of stolen machinery.

This follows intelligence from Wiltshire Police which suggests the theft of agricultural machinery, plant machinery, horseboxes and farming tools has increased by 3% from 2023 to 2024.

Over the two days of action, over 100 vehicles were stopped and checked. Two vehicles were seized, a suspected stolen trailer was recovered, and a vehicle prohibition was completed on a vehicle carrying a trailer containing a dangerous load. As a result of vehicle stops completed during the operation, the Environment Agency are following up on two cases of waste carrying breaches.

Wiltshire’s Police and Crime Commissioner, Philip Wilkinson, who sits on the board of the National Rural Crime Network, said: “Those criminals coming to the South West to target our rural communities and threaten their livelihoods will soon learn that they are not welcome here. Working together, our police forces will proactively target those committing rural crime and we will continue to build a richer intelligence picture of the organised crime groups linked to the activity which has caused significant physical and financial harm to our residents." 

PCC Wilkinson continued: “Across the south, I want people in our rural communities to know that myself and the other Police and Crime Commissioners – and our respective forces - are working relentlessly to ensure these criminals are driven out of our towns and villages. My appeal to them is to report any crimes in their area, so the police can collaboratively work together using intelligence to proactively disrupt those targeting our rural communities and causing harm.” 

Superintendent James Brain, Rural Crime Tactical Lead for Wiltshire Police and Regional Rural Crime Lead, said: “The aim of Operation Ragwort is two-fold, to disrupt and deter the organised theft of agricultural machinery and plant across our county borders, and reassure our rural communities that Wiltshire Police is committed to tackling rural crime.”

Superintendent Brain continued: “Wiltshire Police’s message is simple – if you have been a victim of rural crime, including agricultural machinery theft, please come forward and report this to the police online or by calling 101. Reports of crime help build intelligence and enable the Force to target resources and dedicate future operations to specific locations. Rural crime is a nationally-emerging threat, and Wiltshire Police are united with neighbouring police forces and partner agencies across the South West to prevent rural crimes from taking place.”

Rural crime is a priority for Wiltshire Police, with one of Chief Constable Roper’s priorities being to tackle the theft of agricultural plant and machinery. For more information about rural crime prevention, visit:  https://www.wiltshire.police.uk/advice/advice-and-information/rc/rural-crime/.

Published Friday 7 March 2025