Report says cost of rural crime down by almost 30% over the last year

County Durham and Darlington Police and Crime Commissioner Joy Allen has welcomed a new report that shows the county is making rapid progress in its fight against rural crime.

The latest Rural Crime Report by leading rural insurer NFU Mutual shows the cost of rural crime in County Durham fell by almost 30 per cent in 2021 to £260k.

As was the case in 2021, County Durham remains one of few forces nationally to see a reduction in rural crime claims of agricultural vehicles machinery and livestock thefts.

But NFU Mutual warns the situation nationally could worsen over the next 12 months with a 40 per cent increase in rural theft reported across the UK in the first three months of this year.

Commissioner Allen said there would be no let up in her ambition to drive criminals out of the countryside and increase the safety of the county’s rural residents and businesses.

‘Safer Countryside’ features as a key priority in the Commissioner’s Police and Crime Plan and she has already invested significant funding into new technology and resources to improve the effectiveness of rural officers and help communities play a proactive role against rural crime.