Rise in rural crime making Bedfordshire communities 'suspicious' of countryside visitors
Date of alert:
Saturday, 9 April 2022
Crime Ref:
Force:
Bedfordshire Constabulary
The increase in rural crime is making farmers and communities wary of any visitors to Bedfordshire's countryside.
Tom Church, NFU Mutual partner agent & group secretary, told the Police and Crime Panel on Tuesday (April 5) that rural crime affects everyone, even those living in towns.
"Because it makes the people that live in these rural communities suspicious of everybody, and when we get visitors, and we have cars parked in gateways, we stop, we look and we wait," he said.
"I don’t want to chase people and harry them around and stop them enjoying the countryside, but the issues we face out there are getting worse.
Mr Church said that when his members report a crime it’s classed as a business theft and often they feel that they didn't receive the attention they felt they should.
