Campaign launched to protect rural and farming communities from crime

The harm that rural crime causes has prompted our charity to launch a campaign this month which calls local people in Northampton to speak up and pass on information about those who are responsible.
 
The types of rural crime affecting the county include; theft and vandalism, crop damage, arson of hay bales, hare coursing and poaching. It can also include wildlife and heritage crime.

The estimated population of rural Northamptonshire is over 700,000 people. Rural properties are often in isolated areas, which can make them easy targets for criminals looking to break-in and steal possessions. Across the East Midlands region, the cost of rural crime rose from £8.9 million in 2017 to £9.8 million in 2018, according to the NFU Mutual Rural Crime Report 2019.

Funded by the Office of Northamptonshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner Stephen Mold, the campaign is mostly digitally focused and will use social media to cover the whole county.

Due to the nature of smaller, rural communities being more closely-knit, there can be a reluctance for people to speak up about crime in their area for fear of intimidation, revenge or merely awkwardness. We promise 100% anonymity to everyone who contacts our charity, which means we are uniquely placed to help rural communities stay safe.

“Our charity wants to make people aware of not just the financial impact of rural crime, but of the severe emotional effect on communities. The fear of crime can make people afraid to leave their homes, businesses and farms unattended, which can add to levels of rural isolation. It’s our goal to protect local people and businesses.

“We understand that some people struggle to talk to the police. This is why our charity is here. As an independent charity, we listen to people’s crime concerns, take relevant information and pass it on 100% anonymously.
 
“In over 31 years, our charity has always kept its promise to protect your identity. Please call 0800 555 111 or use our anonymous online form. Together, we can help protect your community and the ones you love from harm.”
 

For more information on rural crime, please visit our campaign page.