Northumbria Police Crime Commissioner welcomes reductions in rural crime costs as new figures released
8th August 2018
A national report released on Monday, August 6, revealed residents in Northumbria are at the lowest risk of rural crime in the entire country. Figures published by rural insurer NFU Mutual show that there has been a 6.5 per cent fall in the cost of claims by customers in Northumbria Police’s force area.
The fall in claims is very positive news for the North East when you consider that the cost of claims across the UK has actually increased by 13.4 per cent. That saw £44.5 million paid out nationwide in 2017 – with £6.8 million being paid out in the North East. This is still however a massive sum and the fight against crime is still as important as ever.
The new figures come just two weeks after the National Police Chiefs’ Council launched two new national strategies to tackle rural and wildlife crime at the Rural Affairs Summit on July 25. Both strategies look to continue to improve how wildlife and rural crime is policed and how best to use resources to prevent crime and protect our rural communities.
Dame Vera Baird QC, Police and Crime Commissioner for Northumbria, said: “I am delighted that effective policing and partnership working in our rural communities is paying off. However, we aren’t complacent and want to see further reductions. I would continue to urge residents and partners to report anything they see that is suspicious – together we are making a difference”
Northumbria Police Rural Crime lead, Superintendent Andy Huddleston, attributes the figures to the good partnership work done around rural crime and new tactics being brought in to tackle the issue.
He said: “Together with our rural partners across Northumbria we work very hard to help ensure that these types of crimes are policed correctly and that communities feel protected and supported.
“We have a number of proactive initiatives to tackle rural crime including tackling organised criminal groups, officer training, victim support, FarmWatch schemes and community groups, and promoting crime prevention schemes such as marking for machinery.
“All this and more helps us tackle rural crime- something which we are committed to continue to do and these figures show that we’re on the right track.”
To read the full report please click here: https://www.nfumutual.co.uk/farming/ruralcrime/
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