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Opportunistic crime is turning into organised crime as thieves target farm vehicles and GPS systems for lucrative markets online and overseas.

A man has been sentenced for the theft of sheep in the West Midlands earlier this year.

Thieves wielding crowbars broke into a farm and smashed their way into two milk vending machines, stealing cash from the farm’s honesty box.

Police have reminded farmers to be vigilant when undertaking online purchases after a farmer was scammed in a fake online tractor sale.

NFU Mutual has advised farmers to review their security measures as winter draws in, warning rural thefts could increase this year with fewer people out and about.

51AVÊÓƵfires left the industry with a £49.1 million bill in 2019 a five year high.

Seventy-nine sheep worth thousands of pounds have been stolen from moorland in North Yorkshire, sparking a police appeal for information.

An action plan outlining how farmers, landowners, police and Government can work together to bring justice to those involved in hare coursing has been updated by the CLA.

North Yorkshire Police are to increase their patrols as part of an operation to clamp down on ‘cannabis farm’ fly-tipping in rural locations.

Government bodies have been urged to take ‘meaningful’ action and treat rural crime as a priority issue, with costs continuing to rise and farmers facing increasing threats of violence and intimidation.