Lincolnshire farmers to help police clamp down on thefts and hare coursing

Farmers have also welcomed the launch of Operation Galileo in Lincolnshire and neighbouring counties to crack down on hare coursing, which continues to blight the countryside.

Lincolnshire Police reported that 10 Toyota Hilux pickup trucks were stolen in just four weeks with officers investigating incidents in Bourne, Stamford, Sleaford, Spalding, Gedney, Lincoln, Marston and Bicker.

The offences date back to 22 August.

The police have also announced that Operation Galileo will go ahead in Lincolnshire, Cambridgeshire, Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire to prevent people using dogs to chase and hunt hares.

Farmers Chris Carter, South Lincolnshire NFU deputy chair (Holland), and Kate Armstrong, Lincolnshire deputy chair, said rural crime remained a worry for those in isolated rural areas and urged people to continue to feed information into the police.

Chris, an arable farmer from Deeping St Nicholas, said: “Rural crime is concerning and does have a real impact on our farming families and their businesses.

“We need to remain vigilant, report suspicious vehicles or people and continue to help the police to crackdown on offenders.

“The NFU meets regularly with the police and crime commissioners and we will continue to call for additional resources to help our rural areas.

“These types of crime and others, including fly tipping and livestock worrying, have an emotional and financial impact on farming families as well as disrupting our ability to run our businesses and produce food.”

The police said they were pursuing all lines of inquiry regarding the missing vehicles and highlighted measures owners could take to reduce thefts.

The force advised drivers to park the vehicles in illuminated areas covered by CCTV and keep car keys or fobs in a screened or signal-blocking pouch.

They also suggested using immobilisers, car alarms and other additional physical security devices such as steering wheel or gear stick locks to prevent thefts.

While rural crime action teams are currently searching for hare coursers using marked and unmarked vehicles, motorbikes and drones.

Since 2022, officers have had the power to arrest people going equipped to carry out hare coursing – a move pushed for by the NFU in its lobbying.

Offenders can be banned from driving, and have their vehicles and dogs seized.

Bardney farmer Kate Armstrong, whose family grow potatoes and cereal crops, said: “Farmers working with the police, reporting incidents and feeding intelligence in remains essential.

“The NFU continues its work and has championed for stronger protections for farmers in our rural Lincolnshire communities, from the Equipment Theft (Prevention) Act and hare coursing reforms to the Dogs (Protection of Livestock) (Amendment) Bill, which is going through the House of Lords now - but the threat remains very real.

“When county farmers, police, local authorities and government work together, we see real progress, from targeted enforcement to better support for victims.

“This joined-up approach must be scaled nationally to tackle rural crime head-on.”

The police have also called for continued collaboration and for communities to take part in Rural Watch and the community messaging system Lincolnshire Alert.

NFU county chair Henry Moreton, who farms near Woodhall Spa, said farmers and the rural community backed the police’s efforts.

He said: “In a lot of cases when a theft occurs it is usually in adjacent buildings to the farmhouse, so many feel that their home has been attacked.

“A farm is not just a business it is where we live with our families, so when any type of rural crime occurs it is very raw and upsetting.

“We back the police in their efforts to target offenders and I am pleased to see them working to halt theft and hare coursing on our farms.

“These crimes remain a real blight in rural communities and to our businesses.”