Isle included in rural crime campaign

Crimestoppers is teaming up with volunteers, law enforcement agencies and partners across the country for a social media campaign to fight the crimes that blight rural communities such as the Isle.

The campaign urges the public to help protect our rural communities. Rural theft cost the United Kingdom an estimated £42.3m in 2012 and can have far reaching consequences for urban communities in terms of the food chain, deliveries and supermarket prices.

The ‘Scene it. Herd it. Speak up about it. Anonymously.’ message will predominantly be spread via social media using Facebook, twitter and local alert systems in order to reach deep into rural communities.

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People will be directed to a webpage which discusses aspects of rural crime such as poaching, hare-coursing, theft of oil, metal and machinery and highlights what we need to look out for and how to safely give information anonymously via Crimestoppers.

The charity will also be hosting a blog which can be found at www.blog.crimestoppers-uk.org .

The crime-fighting charity will raise awareness of rural crime issues by utilising positive relationships with partners such as NFU Mutual, Sainsbury’s and Northern Powergrid as well as important organisations with a rural interest such as the National Farmers’ Union, English Heritage, the Neighbourhood and Home Watch Network and the Country Land and Business Association (CLA) - and of course local police.

“Crime affecting rural communities should never be underestimated; it can have a devastating impact on people and businesses,” commented Chief Constable Simon Prince, Dyfed-Powys Police, National Policing Lead for Rural and Wildlife Crime.

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“Criminals target isolated areas and hard to protect buildings looking for easily saleable items such as metal, gardening and agricultural machinery. By appealing for more eyes and ears across the countryside, telling the public what signs to look for and urging them to contact the Crimestoppers anonymous service, we can tackle these criminal gangs head on.”

A survey undertaken by NFU Mutual in 2012 found that an estimated 70% of rural crimes are planned.

Director of Operations for Crimestoppers, Roger Critchell, added: “No-one has anything to fear by contacting Crimestoppers as you will remain anonymous – no personal information is taken. Calls are not traced or recorded and you will not have to go to court or give a statement to the police. In the 26 years that Crimestoppers has been running we have never broken our promise of anonymity.”

Anyone with information or suspicions concerning criminal activity in the rural community should ring the Crimestoppers national 24/7 telephone number on 0800 555 111 or contact the charity via our Anonymous Online Form at www.crimestoppers-uk.org.