Rural crime on policing radar

GARDEN machinery and tools are amongst the prime targets of criminals working the rural Winchester district, police have warned. It comes after several burglaries in recent weeks, including a ram raid where thieves made off with a batch of chainsaws.
But officers feel they are now better placed to track the thieves, thanks to a growing network of farmers and other rural workers.
The district’s Countrywatch officer, PC Jon Radcliffe, has been instrumental in setting it up, and hundreds of people have joined the system.
Thanks to email and text messages, PC Radcliffe can instantly pass details of any suspicious activity to scheme members.
In turn, they provide similar information to him, and police have made several arrests in recent weeks. It includes some suspected poachers in Bramdean and West Meon.
However, officers are still hunting the criminals behind several rural burglaries in the past few weeks.
It includes a ram raid at Winchester Garden Machinery in Romsey Road, Winchester, in late December.
A batch of chainsaws was taken and police are checking if there are links to another burglary in Curdridge soon after.
It took place late at night on Wednesday, January 5 at Woodmans Farm in Curdridge Lane.
Thieves used bolt cutters to force open several locked business units and made off with tools, machinery and even vehicles.
It included an Iveco tipper truck owned by Bespoke Landscapes worth £5,000. The firm also lost £22,000 of other equipment.
They were not alone as several of their neighbours had property stolen, some of which was uninsured.
Because most of the firms were small, some had to close temporarily and cancel jobs until they could replace their machinery.
Other rural crimes include two attempted thefts from garages in Martins Fields, Compton last month.
PC Radcliffe: “What I would say is keep an eye on all sheds and outbuildings, keep them locked, and mark and postcode your property.”
He added: “What we are seeing is more people are prepared to report this kind of activity because the process is much better, so reporting is definitely on the up.”
Anyone with information on rural crime can contact PC Radcliffe at Bishop’s Waltham police station on 0845 045 4545.

(Reproduced from the Hampshire Chronicle, 4th Feb)

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