Police in North Yorkshire have attended four suspected poaching incidents after calls from vigilant farmers and landowners.
North Yorkshire Police was called out to deal with four incidents of suspected poaching in just two days.
The calls follow the launch of a campaign urging residents in rural areas to report all such incidents to the police.
In the early hours of Tuesday 11 August, a farmer challenged a group of men with dogs in a Vauxhall Zafira, suspected of poaching on land near South Otterington, Northallerton. The suspects made off, following a search of the area by police.
And in the early hours of Wednesday 12 August, police officers attended land at Danby, near Whitby.
Although suspected poachers had left the area, details of a vehicle involved were obtained from a witness.
Last week North Yorkshire Police’s Rural Taskforce launched a campaign urging farmers and landowners to report any suspicious activity that could be linked to poaching, such as unusual vehicle movements or lights in darkness.
It follows the launch of Operation Figaro, North Yorkshire Police's campaign to proactively target poachers to put a stop to their illegal activity. T
The work runs alongside Operation Galileo, a national campaign bringing together forces particularly affected by poaching.
Inspector Matt Hagen, of North Yorkshire Police’s Rural Taskforce said officers understood the impact of poaching on farmers' livelihoods.
He said: “Poachers often have no regard for farmers and landowners, causing thousands of pounds of damage to crops.
"Victims are often intimidated or even threatened with violence if they challenge offenders, leaving them feeling vulnerable to further crimes, particularly in isolated areas.”
On average, police are called to more than 50 incidents of suspected poaching in North Yorkshire every month.
Incidents tend to increase significantly from August onwards, during and after harvest time.
