Local Priorities Rural Crime Message

I wanted to provide you with an update regarding Rural Crime, which people around your area have highlighted as an issue of concern on the priority survey.

PCSO Matt Taylor along with Mounted Volunteers from our Citizens in Policing team, and Northampton Neighbourhood team took the Beat Bus along to Blue Barn Saddlery in Hardingstone on Saturday 1st November 2025. Twenty items of Horse tack were marked, 10 members of the public were signed up to Northamptonshire Talking, and PCSOs who attended have enquiries from conversations that we are currently progressing. It was a successful event and will be re-run in 2026.

Rural crime has no set definition but can be very broadly classified as any crime and anti-social behaviour occurring in rural areas. It is often linked to Organised Crime Groups (OCGs) who target and exploit rural communities across a range of crime types, for example organised plant theft, livestock theft, burglaries targeting firearms, poaching and hare coursing.

The NPCC (National Police Chiefs Council) has developed a Rural Affairs Strategy which sets out police priorities in this area:

• Farm machinery, plant and vehicle theft - including quad bikes, modern and vintage tractors, tools and equipment from outbuildings.
• Livestock offences - including theft, worrying and attacks.
• Fuel theft - including heating oil, diesel and petrol.
• Equine crime - including horse trailer and horse box theft, horse theft, tack theft, fly grazing and neglect.
• Fly tipping - including household and commercial waste, waste through organised criminality.
• Poaching which crosses over with the wildlife priorities - including hare coursing, deer poaching, fish poaching.
• Heritage crime - It is also important to recognise that rural crime and antisocial behaviour have an adverse impact on the historic environment and heritage assets found across the United Kingdom - including the theft of metal from church buildings, unlawful metal detecting and interference with historic shipwrecks.

More information on these issues and prevention advice can be found at Rural crime | Neighbourhood Watch Network and also at www.northants.police.uk/advice/advice-and-information/rc/rural-crime/.

If you ever experience this issue or have information regarding an incident, please report it using our online reporting tools at www.northants.police.uk, speak to an operator in our Force Communications Room via our online web chat or call the non-emergency number 101. 

Alternatively, you can stay 100 per cent anonymous by contacting the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or via their untraceable online form at crimestoppers-uk.org.

Get Involved

Please consider getting involved and contribute to the local priority survey, we may be unaware of issues that you would like us to focus on.  Take a few minutes to securely and privately register and have your say using the button below, this will mean we can focus on things that matter to you. 

Please click here to complete the survey