A new project promises to get tougher on rural crime in the East Riding, thanks to £113,000 funding from the Humberside Police and Crime Commissioner.
New all-terrain vehicles that will help in the fight against rural crime were on display as the East Riding Community Safety Partnership launched the project at the Driffield Show.
East Riding Council has developed the project in partnership with Humberside Police’s Rural Task Force, and in collaboration with North Lincolnshire Council.
The project aims to tackle people’s concerns head-on, taking decisive action to disrupt, deter and apprehend those responsible for rural crime.
The funding will pay for two Polaris Ranger XP 1000 all-terrain vehicles, as well as ANPR (automatic number plate recognition) cameras, thermal imaging monoculars and other essential hardware that the Rural Task Force and others will use to help combat crime.
Free crime-prevention measures, such as property marking and tracking solutions, will also be available to farmers and other people in rural communities to help prevent theft of agricultural vehicle and equipment and recover stolen items.
New “Thieves beware” signs will be put up to discourage opportunistic thieves and make people feel safer.
Councillor Leo Hammond, East Riding Council’s portfolio holder for planning, communities and public protection, said: “Rural crime continues to be a worry for people in many parts of the East Riding, and this project is a significant step in our efforts to empower, support and protect our communities.
“We’re grateful to the Humberside Police and Crime Commissioner for this funding, which will enhance the CSP’s effectiveness and help us collaborate better with all our partners.
“The project sends a clear message that we are determined to combat rural crime and ensure the safety of residents in our rural communities.”
Sergeant Kevin Jones, from the Rural Task Force, said: “Our aim has always been to disrupt, apprehend and prosecute the organised crime groups involved in rural crime, and to prevent the farming community from becoming victims of rural crime. “This project will have a huge impact on how we tackle these incidents, and also means that we can provide people in our rural communities with new ways to protect their property in the event of a theft.”
“The impact of rural crime to the farming and rural community cannot be underestimated, whether it be the emotional cost from being a victim, to the financial cost of replacing the high-value agricultural assets.”
“We plan to organise days of action around rural crime hotspots to allocate our crime prevention products to victims and vulnerable members of the farming community.
“It is our hope that working so closely together through this project, we can reduce rural crime across the East Riding and North Lincolnshire.”
Jonathan Evison, PCC for the Humberside Police force area, said: “In previous years, many of our rural communities have felt there was not enough being done to help protect their properties and livelihoods.
“The recent uplift of police officers has enabled the Chief Constable to create dedicated rural crime teams to focus more attention on those communities.
“Having more officers is excellent but they also need the specialist equipment to help them cut crime and protect our rural areas.
“I am delighted we have been able to part-fund this project to help tackle rural crime in the East Riding and North Lincolnshire.”
