UFU welcomes new rural crime reporting hotline

Callers can contact the “Rural Crime Reporting Line” on 0800 783 0137 and anonymously report any information they may have on crimes such as large scale industrial fly tipping, hare coursing, machinery theft or livestock theft. It is a new service that covers all parts of the United Kingdom including Northern Ireland.

UFU deputy president, Victor Chestnutt said: “Rural crime can have a devastating impact on a farm business and very often it can prove difficult to bring those engaged in such activities to justice. I would encourage anyone who has any information in relation to rural crime to pick up the telephone and call. Any information, no matter how small it may seem, may prove significant in helping to bring criminals before the courts.”

The new Rural Crime Reporting Line was recently launched by the National Farmers Union, in partnership with the charity Crimestoppers, and is a joint initiative supported by each of the UK Police forces with the sole aim of reducing and detecting rural crime.