Agri-crime down 20%, but still costs UK £42.3m
How many Police and Crime Commissioners have thought about the issue of “Agri-crime”. More challenging still where are they on a definition of and response to rural crime. In the meantime this article from Farmers Weekly provides food for thought. It tells us:
The cost of countryside crime fell by almost 20% last year, according to the latest figures released by rural insurer NFU Mutual.
Rural theft cost an estimated £42.3m during 2012 across the UK – an annual fall of 19.7% in “agri-crime” year-on-year, said the company.
Driving this reduction was a significant fall in claim costs for tractor and quad bike thefts, which fell by 32% and 17% respectively.
Tractors and quad bikes accounted for more than one-third of the cost of all theft claims.
In contrast, 2012 saw a slight increase in NFU Mutual claim levels for livestock theft – but nothing like the three-fold increase experienced the previous year.