Crime: Rural Areas

We recognise that theft of farming equipment and livestock can have a serious financial impact on victims, as well as wider effects on rural businesses and communities, which is why we are focused on preventing these crimes and improving the recovery of stolen property.

We are implementing the Equipment Theft (Prevention) Act to make it harder for criminals to sell stolen vehicles and equipment and to support the police in identifying owners. The Act’s secondary legislation will require forensic marking to be applied to new all-terrain vehicles and GPS units used in agricultural and commercial settings, with details recorded on a property database. This will provide an important tool to help the police identify stolen items and return them to their rightful owners.

In addition, the Crime and Policing Bill will introduce new powers for the police to enter and search premises where stolen items have been electronically tracked, supporting a more rapid recovery of stolen equipment and machinery.

Last financial year (FY25/26), the Home Office provided the first funding since 2023 for the National Rural Crime Unit (NRCU) as well as continuing funding for the National Wildlife Crime Unit (NWCU). We are continuing this funding of over £800,000 throughout 2026/27 to help these specialist policing units tackle those crimes that predominantly affect our rural communities.

These policing units play key roles in helping police across the UK target organised crime groups stealing farm equipment and to disrupt networks exploiting endangered species in the UK and abroad.

We have also worked closely with the National Police Chiefs’ Council to deliver the new Rural and Wildlife Crime Strategy which has just recently been published. The strategy sets out operational and organisational policing priorities in respect of tackling crimes that predominantly affect rural communities, including theft of farming machinery and livestock theft as priority areas of focus for policing.