Fall in cost of NI rural crime

However, despite the 21.3 per cent drop, the true cost to the Province’s farm businesses was still high at £2 million – with evidence that thieves are becoming more organised and determined.

They are also becoming more discerning in what they steal, with Global Positioning System – typically costing more than £10,000 a unit – being top of their shopping list, followed by quad bikes and all-terrain vehicles (ATVs).

Northern Ireland got off lightly compared to other UK regions, according to the new figures from NFU Mutual, which show that overall the cost of rural theft hit an estimated £52.8m in 2023, up from £50.6m the previous year.

Martin Malone, NFU Mutual Regional Manager for Northern Ireland, said: “Although we’ve seen a fall in the cost of rural crime in Northern Ireland, all the indications suggest rural crime is becoming more organised, sophisticated and determined in its nature, which is incredibly alarming for people who live and work in the countryside.

“Livestock theft in particular has become a highly organised crime, often involving 50 or more sheep being stolen in one raid. This crime can have a devastating effect on farming businesses, as well as causeing huge worry to farmers about the welfare of their stolen animals.

“As the UK’s leading rural insurer, we know the impact of rural crime goes well beyond the practicalities of farming. It’s the unnerving feeling that criminals have boldly staked out and targeted farmyards and fields, often a few feet from the family home. It’s also living in fear of repeat attacks, knowing that thieves are always looking for new ways to target rural communities.

“That is why it’s so important for insurers, farmers, manufacturers, police and politicians to continue to work together to provide a united response to the challenge presented by both organised criminals and opportunistic thieves.

“We will also continue to support farmers directly to help protect their livelihoods, offer expertise as the main insurer of farmers and provide advice to tackle rural crime.”

Figures fluctuated across the UK, with cost rises in Scotland, up 34.9 per cent to an estimated £1.8m, and Wales, up 6.7 per cent to an estimated £2.4m.

Livestock theft remained high in 2023, at an estimated cost of £2.7m across the UK. Last year saw a spate of alarming incidents where farm animals were butchered in fields, an upsetting sight for those discovering the gruesome remains that the criminals had left behind.

However, in a positive sign of the co-ordinated action against thieves, the total claims cost for agricultural vehicles thefts reported to NFU Mutual fell nine per cent to an estimated £10.7m in 2023.

Sharp rises in inflation in 2023 made farming equipment an attractive target for organised gangs and meant each theft cost the rural community more than in previous years.

To help farmers and rural communities protect their livelihoods from the threat posed by organised crime, NFU Mutual has provided over £1m since 2021 in support for initiatives to tackle rural crime.

In 2023, NFU Mutual became a major funder of the National Rural Crime Unit (NRCU). Formally established last April, the unit is staffed by police officers with experience in detecting and preventing rural crime, with investigative powers to track and intercept stolen machinery and equipment.

Working hand-in-hand with the NRCU, NFU Mutual operates a dedicated team which shares claims data and insight, helps to identify areas at risk and finds theft patterns to assist recoveries. This kind of collaboration saw the National Construction and Agri Theft Team, which sits under the NRCU, seize £3.1m worth of stolen vehicles and machinery in 2023.

And in 2024, NFU Mutual has funded the UK’s first livestock theft officer at the NRCU to tackle this upsetting crime.

A survey of NFU Mutual Agents, who are often embedded in the local communities they serve, found 91 per cent believed thieves were more organised, with 82 per cent saying they knew farmers who had been impacted by rural crime in their area.

Some 86 per cent of NFU Mutual Agents said rural crime was negatively impacting farmers’ mental wellbeing and 77 per cent knew farmers who had been repeat victims.

Adding to the pressure on farmers, the NFU reports that animals worth an estimated £2.4m were severely injured or killed in dog attacks across the UK in 2023, up nearly 30 per cent compared to the previous year.

For more information on rural crime trends and advice on how to beat rural crime in your area download NFU Mutual’s Rural Crime Report 2024 at www.nfumutual.co.uk/farming/rural-crime/