£800k rural crime funding confirmed as farmers face ongoing theft

Farmers facing ongoing theft, organised gangs and rising rural crime have been given a boost, as the government confirmed continued £800,000 funding for specialist policing units.

The investment will support both the National Wildlife Crime Unit and the National Rural Crime Unit, maintaining funding first announced last year. Policing minister Sarah Jones announced the funding at the National Rural Crime Network Conference in York on Tuesday (24 March).

She said rural crime “devastates local communities yet often goes unseen”, adding that further investment will help officers pursue offenders and better protect the countryside.

The NFU welcomed the move, but warned that serious challenges remain for farm businesses dealing with persistent criminal activity.

NFU vice-president Robyn Munt said organised gangs continue to “plague the British countryside”, targeting livestock, machinery and high-value GPS equipment.

She said the funding would “help increase co-ordinated efforts across law enforcement, politicians, the farming community and insurers so that we can put a stop to these heinous criminals”.

Rural crime continues to have a direct impact on day-to-day farming, with theft of quad bikes, GPS units and livestock disrupting operations and adding significant financial pressure.

Munt said the consequences go beyond financial loss, affecting farmers’ wellbeing and mental health while making it harder to run businesses effectively.

The National Rural Crime Network conference brought together leaders from policing, government and support services, highlighting growing recognition of rural crime as a serious national issue.

North Yorkshire Police Chief Constable Tim Forber was among the speakers, marking the first time a chief constable has addressed the event.

Munt said the creation of the National Rural Crime Unit had been “a positive step”, with better intelligence sharing and closer collaboration already helping to tackle crime.

NFU Mutual, which has invested nearly £2 million over the past five years to combat rural crime, also welcomed the continued funding.

Chief executive Nick Turner said the government’s support would help strengthen the response to criminal activity, adding that rural crime has a “negative impact on mental health” as well as causing financial losses.

Alongside funding, questions remain over whether enough is being done to prevent theft. The government has confirmed new rules requiring forensic marking and registration for new ATVs and GPS units under the Equipment Theft Act.

However, it has stopped short of introducing mandatory immobilisers for quad bikes or extending measures to larger agricultural machinery — a decision the NFU is urging ministers to reconsider.

Munt said stronger security measures could play a crucial role in tackling organised crime. “Sections, particularly fitting immobilisers to quad bikes and extra security measures for GPS systems, can be vital tools to help the police deal with the organised criminals targeting farm businesses,” she said.

While the funding is seen as a positive step, industry leaders warn that rural crime remains a growing and evolving threat, with increasingly organised gangs continuing to target farm businesses across the UK.