PCC invests in protecting rural communities and calls for tougher action on organised rural crime
Farmers, landowners and rural businesses across Wiltshire and Swindon are set to benefit from a £10,000 investment by the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner (OPCC) as part of a wider effort to tackle organised rural crime and protect the county's countryside.
Announced at the start of Rural Crime Action Week, the funding will provide around 280 specialist trailer forensic security marking kits designed to deter thieves, disrupt criminal networks and improve the chances of stolen property being recovered.
The funding will enable farmers, landowners and rural businesses to access Datatag's Trailer Forensic Security Marking System, a nationally recognised security solution which helps deter theft and assists police in identifying and recovering stolen trailers.
Police and Crime Commissioner Philip Wilkinson, who also serves on the board of the National Rural Crime Network (NRCN), said tackling rural crime remains one of his key priorities and warned that the threat facing rural communities is growing increasingly organised and sophisticated.
He said:
"Rural crime is increasingly linked to organised criminality targeting farms, businesses and rural communities.
"These offenders operate across force boundaries and the theft of trailers and agricultural equipment can have a devastating impact on rural livelihoods.
"That is why I am investing £10,000 in around 280 forensic security marking kits. Organised criminal groups rely on being able to steal, transport and sell valuable equipment with as little risk as possible. By improving traceability and helping police identify stolen property, we are making it harder for offenders to profit from rural crime and easier to hold them to account."
Wiltshire Police works closely with the National Rural Crime Unit, neighbouring forces and rural communities to tackle increasingly organised offending. This work is strengthened through Operation Ragwort, a regional collaboration that shares intelligence, coordinates activity and disrupts criminal networks operating across force boundaries. Together, these partnerships are ensuring offenders face a more coordinated and intelligence-led response wherever they operate
Mr Wilkinson said more must also be done to ensure the criminal justice system reflects the seriousness of rural offending:
"The courts must recognise that rural crime is not simply opportunistic theft. Many offenders are linked to organised criminal networks targeting communities and businesses across force boundaries.
"For victims, the impact can be devastating. The loss of a trailer, machinery or equipment can bring a business to a standstill and leave communities feeling vulnerable.
"Wiltshire Police is doing its part by identifying offenders and bringing them before the courts, but this must be matched by sentences that reflect the seriousness of these offences.
"Too often rural crime is treated as lesser offending when it is frequently linked to organised criminality. The courts must take a tougher stance if we are to deter offenders and better protect rural communities."
Rural Crime Action Week highlights the importance of rural communities, farmers, landowners and businesses continuing to report information and suspicious activity to police.
Wiltshire Police and the OPCC are encouraging residents to remain vigilant and continue working with officers to identify offenders, prevent crime and protect Wiltshire's countryside.
Mr Wilkinson added:
"Rural communities should be confident that tackling rural crime remains a priority and that we will continue to invest in the tools, partnerships and policing activity needed to protect them.
"For those involved in organised rural crime, the message is straightforward. We are strengthening our ability to identify offenders, disrupt criminal networks and bring those responsible before the courts.
"If you target our farms, businesses or rural communities, we will do everything in our power to identify you, disrupt your criminality and put you before the courts."
