North Yorkshire Police’s rural task force will be at Ruswarp Mart tomorrow as part of a crackdown on crime in the region’s isolated farming areas this week.
National Rural Crime Action Week is an annual campaign led by the National Rural Crime Network (NRCN) to raise awareness of rural crime and got underway on Monday.
The week of action saw North Yorkshire’s Rural Task Force (RTF) – which this year marks its tenth anniversary – take part in operational activity and community engagement throughout the week.
Officers will go to Ruswarp Mart’s sale day on Wednesday to chat with local farmers, building on a relationship they started up there a couple of years ago.
Auctioneer and land agent, Robert Smith of Richardson & Smith said crime, particularly by organised gangs, is a concern for Whitby’s farmers.
He said: “The police have always had a presence but in the last couple of years they have had a good system where they do come to the mart and fit free tracking on vehicles to make them identifiable if stolen.
“Every now and then they just pop by and have a presence at the cafe and greet farmers and have a natter and that is a really good thing. It is community policing and we are all for it.
“There are undoubtedly organised gangs working in rural areas. We had a farmer have his pick-up stolen and to get it back he is having to jump through hoops. It has been a complete inconvenience on his business.
“People doing this know you will have to push water uphill in order to get any kind of recompense so they will get away with it.”
North Yorkshire Police says farmers, landowners, rural businesses and residents and wider members of the public are urged to support the work of North Yorkshire Police in rural communities by reporting crime and suspicious activity.
All information helps police build intelligence, identify offenders and target resources where they are needed most.
Det Chief Superintendent Nikki Shimwell, North Yorkshire Police’s Head of Crime and Operational Support, said: “Rural crime has a significant impact on the people who live and work in North Yorkshire and York. From machinery theft and fly-tipping to poaching, wildlife crime and livestock offences, these crimes can have serious financial and emotional consequences for victims.
“National Rural Crime Action Week is an opportunity to highlight these issues, showcase the extensive work being carried out to protect rural communities, and strengthen the partnerships that are essential to tackling crime in our countryside.”
