Cumbria Crime

I think there is a lot to learn from the potential to roll out this initiative across other rural counties. The story tells us:

Cumbria Constabulary and the NFU have teamed up to create Country Watch West – a collaborative scheme to fight farm-based crime.

Launched on Monday (15 May), Country Watch West has taken inspiration from the successful Country Watch Eden crime prevention initiative, which was created in 2015 to tackle the persistent problem of sheep theft in eastern Cumbria.

Led by PC Leanne Pettit with the help of NFU Cumbria county adviser Helen Forrester, Country Watch West will begin life by sharing intelligence about rural crime with farmers on Facebook – via the Country Watch West page.

A logo has been designed for Country Watch West by Cockermouth School pupil Daisy Holman, whose artwork was chosen by Cumbria police and crime commissioner Peter McCall and NFU Cumbria county chairman David Raine.

As part of this new alliance between the farmers and police, some west Cumbrian police officers will also be given a crash course in handling sheep by an NFU member – in case they need to move sheep to a safe location without any help.

Rural crime cost the North West £4m in 2015, according to rural insurer NFU Mutual, with sheep rustling and quad bike thefts notable problems.