A gang which raided farms across the south west has been ordered to pay back almost £120,000 or face longer prison sentences.
61-year-old Daniel Small and his two sons targeted isolated farms around South and West Devon, and sometimes Cornwall.
They often stole farm machinery and cars. According to The Kingsbridge & Salcombe Gazette, they carried out 31 raids and stole £281,470 worth of machinery, tools and vehicles.
Mr Small was jailed for four years at a trial at Exeter Crown Court in March 2017.
The trial heard how the thefts, which were normally conducted overnight, targeted farmers and a rural economy in which many businesses are struggling to survive.
It was only until a tracking device on a stolen quad bike led police to a yard ran by the gang in January 2016.
'Soft target'
The National Farmers' Union (NFU) has previously warned that farmers should not be seen as a 'soft target' for criminals.
A survey by NFU Mutual showed 56% of respondents have been a victim of rural crime in the past 12 months.
And in December, farmers were encouraged to take part in the government’s Commercial Victimisation Survey and record the nature, extent and costs of any crime.
Agriculture has been reintroduced as part of the survey, after successful efforts from the National Farmers' Union.
It is seen as opportunity to make the government and the Home Office aware of the extent rural crime affects farm businesses.
The results are used to monitor crime trends, identify what actions need to be taken to reduce crime and find out what support would be most helpful to farm businesses.
'Increasing fear'
NFU land management adviser Rupert Weaver said the survey is a "perfect opportunity" for farmers to make Government aware of the serious impacts rural crime poses to farm businesses.
“As the NFU has already highlighted in its Rural Crime Report, rural crime affects a huge number of farmers, affecting their business and family life,” Mr Weaver said.
“There is increasing fear in rural areas due to increasing crime, resulting in significantly lower than average satisfaction levels with the police.
“There is a lack of official statistics relating to rural crime, partly due to underreporting, and a significant response from the farming community could provide the relevant authorities with the data they need to act on this problem. The NFU would encourage all farmers who receive the survey to participate.”
