Rural crime claims rise, with GPS units and quad bikes targeted by sophisticated criminals

Rural crime in the UK reached an alarming cost of £52.8 million in 2023, marking an increase from £50.6 million the year before, according to the latest NFU Mutual Rural Crime Report. As thieves become more organised, the nature of rural crime has grown more sophisticated, with criminals increasingly targeting valuable farming equipment and livestock.

The report highlights GPS units, often costing over £10,000 each, as a major target for criminals. These units are vital to farmers for tasks such as controlling land cultivation, crop planting, spraying, and harvesting. The rise in GPS-related thefts contributed £4.2 million to the total cost of rural crime last year.

Thieves have also focused on quad bikes and all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), which are essential for farmers to move around large fields and complete daily tasks. The cost of quad bike thefts rose by 9% in 2023, reaching an estimated £3.2 million in claims.

Peter Northern, a farmer from Hertfordshire, spoke about his own experiences with rural theft, describing how criminals managed to steal expensive equipment even after he had taken measures to secure it. He recalled an incident where a power tool, linked to the internet, was tracked to Latvia, far beyond the reach of local recovery efforts.

Although the total cost of agricultural vehicle thefts fell by 9% in 2023, the theft of other equipment such as GPS units and ATVs continues to rise, according to NFU Mutual. Livestock theft and dog attacks also saw a significant increase, with damages estimated at £2.7 million, and nearly £2.4 million worth of farm animals were injured or killed in dog attacks, up almost 30% from the previous year.

Hannah Binns of NFU Mutual warned that rural crime is becoming more “organised, sophisticated and determined”, creating an atmosphere of fear and vulnerability in rural communities. Many of the criminals are now using technology to pinpoint and track valuable equipment, often hitting several farms in one night before returning later to steal any replacements.

The rising crime rates are also having a detrimental effect on farmers’ mental well-being, with 86% of NFU Mutual agents agreeing that rural crime negatively impacts farmers’ mental health. In a survey, 91% of agents believed that thieves were becoming more organised, and 77% knew of farmers who had been repeated victims.

Binns called for a united response from insurers, farmers, manufacturers, police, and politicians to tackle the issue of organised crime and opportunistic thefts in rural areas. She emphasised the importance of continued collaboration to address the growing challenge of securing rural properties and protecting farmers’ livelihoods.