Avon and Somerset police launch dedicated number to battle rural crime

New text number to combat rural crime - 81819
New text number to combat rural crime - 81819

Avon and Somerset police have launched a new text service to help prevent and detect rural crime.

The Police are asking rural communities and businesses to help by providing information and intelligence about suspected crime in their area.

The new number will allow the public to text information directly to the Rural Crime Team, who will be able to assess and action the intelligence quickly and efficiently.

Inspector Joanna Mines, from the Rural Crime Team in Somerset, said: “We are trialling the number for three months.

“Many people who belong to our FarmWatch scheme had said they wanted a facility to be able to pass on information and respond to messages quickly, and this new number will allow that.

“We want to hear from anyone who has information about any suspicious or potentially criminal activity in their area, for example - details of people/vehicles seen behaving suspiciously, potentially stolen goods or livestock being offered for sale either to the public or at markets, sightings of stolen vehicles we might put out an alert for.

“No matter how small or insignificant people may think information is, it may be a vital piece of a jigsaw that helps us fill in the gaps and either prevent a crime or bring offenders to justice.

“We have had real success using a text number to facilitate reporting of drink drivers in the past and we hope this will prove as effective.”

'Quickly and easily'

Messages are currently sent out via text, voice alert and email to members of the Neighbourhood, Farm and Horse Watch schemes to alert them to crimes and incidents in their area.

This new number, 81819, will allow people to text back information quickly and easily.

Anyone can use it if they have information about rural or agricultural crime in their area, and isn’t just for Watch members.

The launch of the number happens to coincide with a recent livestock theft in Somerset (16/01).

40 calves, 10-15 months old, of Friesian/Limousin/Angus breeds were stolen from a farm at Emborough near Radstock. The calves had been wormed using Bimectin the day before and therefore vital they don’t get into the food chain.