Cross-border commitment to tackle rural crime in the South

It comes amid concerns over the increasing levels of violence perpetuated by those committing rural crime, such as agricultural machinery theft, hare coursing and poaching.

Now the three PCCs have come together with a joint commitment to make their counties “a hostile place for those involved in spreading fear and terror”.

Wiltshire PCC Philip Wilkinson said: “We know that much of this criminality is linked to organised crime groups and these criminals do not recognise borders, and nor must we if we’re to protect our residents and target those causing harm.”

He added: “The escalating violence we have seen recently from criminals intent on spreading fear and terror in our rural communities is shocking and will not be allowed to continue.

“In recent weeks, both in Wiltshire and Hampshire we have seen two incidents of vehicles being used as weapons by offenders who are determined to cause significant harm, both financially and physically to our rural communities and we must ensure that the police are proactive in robustly enforcing the law to keep our rural communities safe and prevent further harm.”

The three PCCs recently met with Kit Malthouse, MP for North West Hampshire, Danny Kruger, MP for East Wiltshire, representatives from rural communities, officers from each force and head of the National Rural Crime Unit, Superintendent Andy Huddleston to discuss improved collaboration to “relentlessly pursue and prosecute those who target rural communities with threats and acts of violence”.

Last year, a collaboration to combat rural crime called Operation Ragwort was formed between all police forces and PCCs in the South West. Its goal is to share intelligence and resources between the forces in Wiltshire, Avon and Somerset, Devon and Cornwall, Dorset and Gloucestershire to provide a comprehensive and coordinated response to rural crime.

Since then, a number of small-scale joint operations have taken place around the region, with the first full scale operation involving all five forces and officers from the National Rural Crime Agency taking place in October.

As the South West’s response to serious, organised, acquisitive crimes and rural crime, the operation utilises and coordinates intelligence from its smallest communities through to local policing areas and across to other force areas and national and international borders.

However, Mr Wilkinson recognises the importance of tackling rural crime on all of Wiltshire’s borders and would like to onboard more police forces in the South to Operation Ragwort.

He said: “I want to help build the capacity of police forces across the south of England – not just in the South West – in order to better understand the networking of these organised criminal groups so that we can engage more proactively in enforcement, interdiction and disrupting operations when the intelligence and evidence allows.”

Following the recent meeting, Thames Valley PCC Matthew Barber said: “It was a pleasure to meet with counterparts in Wiltshire and Hampshire last week, alongside Kit Malthouse MP, to discuss better intelligence sharing and how we can tackle the growing prevalence of crime in our rural communities together.

“The Thames Valley has an outstanding Rural Crime Taskforce, which has been working tirelessly since its launch in March 2022. In that time, they have conducted hundreds of investigations and provided invaluable crime prevention advice to rural residents.

“Collaboration across borders is essential to creating a hostile environment for these criminals. I look forward to continuing our partnership with the PCCs of Hampshire and Wiltshire to ensure we protect rural communities across the Thames Valley.”

The Thames Valley Rural Crime Taskforce, established in March 2022, consists of a dedicated team of officers and intelligence specialists targeting rural crime. By working closely with partners and local communities, the taskforce is helping to combat serious organised rural crime and enhance safety in rural areas.

Donna Jones, Hampshire and Isle of Wight PCC, said: “Rural communities are the backbone of our counties, and no one should feel unsafe in their own home, business, or community. The escalating violence tied to rural crime is deeply concerning, and we will not stand by while criminals target rural residents with such disregard.

“As police commissioner, I have continually demonstrated my commitment to make rural areas safer by investing in police intelligence capability and increasing the number of police officers in rural areas to ensure the force can take the fight to countryside criminals.

“By working closely with Wiltshire and Thames Valley Police, alongside our partners and communities, we are sending a strong message: those who seek to spread fear and commit violent acts will find no safe haven here. This partnership demonstrates our unwavering commitment to making rural areas hostile environments for offenders and ensuring justice for those impacted.”