Police announce plans to '˜boost response and intelligence gathering' against rural crime

Lincolnshire Police has announced a new three year plan to fight rural crime across the county this morning (Monday).

Force leaders attended a meeting of the National Farmers Union in Boston to outline the strategy, which will include a ‘special team dedicated to rural crime’.

Chief Constable Bill Skelly said he was ‘reinvigorating the force’s Operaction Galileo - it’s strategy to tackle hare coursers - and pointed to the addition of new 4X4s, quadbikes, drones and a network of new Automatic Number Plate Recognition Network (ANPR).

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It is hoped the investment will boost response and intelligence gathering.

In a statement prior to the meeting, he said: ““Lincolnshire remains one of the safest counties in the country but we need to work closer with the rural community to ensure people never feel isolated or vulnerable.

“I have a duty to make sure every resident receives such protection and this is my commitment to those living in the countryside.

“Criminals also purposefully target vulnerable people with scams on their doorstep believing such crimes are invisible in the countryside.”

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“We are also improving the technology in our Automatic Number Plate Recognition Network (ANPR) so offenders can be more easily traced and by creating a Rural Advisory Group which residents can be a part of, we will benefit from better communication with residents.”

The new equipment has been provided as a result of funds made available by Police and Crime Commissioner Marc Jones – who made rural community safety a priority in his four-year crime plan.

Mr Jones said: “I am delighted I have been able to make the investment available for a raft of new equipment to help the force in their fight to keep rural communities safe.

“I believe this investment, along with the clear purpose set out in the new strategy, should give our residents confidence that myself and the Chief Constable are doing everything within our power to keep them safe.

“If we can harness the power of the communities themselves to help in this drive then I am confident we can succeed together.”