Police Team Claims Rural Successes
Sussex Police’s Rural Crime Team has marked the first anniversary of its launch in June 2020, claiming that it has made great progress over the past 12 months in tackling rural crime offences and building direct engagement with rural communities in Sussex.
Consisting of two sergeants, eight constables and six PCSOs, and funded by an added precept on local council tax bills, the team operates across the county from bases at Midhurst and Heathfield. It has a specialist focus on agricultural, equine, wildlife and heritage issues. It claims that
a higher proportion of rural crimes are now being reported, and that conviction rates have also risen.
Successful convictions have included:
• Two men from London charged with poaching in the Balcombe area who were found to be in possession of an air rifle with a scope, hunting knives, catapults and ball bearings along with dead pheasants and pigeons. Following an investigation by the team,
in April both men were found guilty at court. They were
both sentenced to 16-weeks suspended prison sentences
for carrying knives in public along with 150 hours unpaid work and a 12-month community order.
• A guilty plea for a poaching offence in Rye. The offender was ordered to pay £199 in fines and costs.
• A man who admitted night hawking – metal detecting on land without permission from the landowner and intending to steal anything found – in a field near Pulborough. He was summonsed for going equipped to steal and was fined £1,560 plus costs.
• A thorough investigation was carried out after a dog was let off its lead and chased a flock of sheep near Brighton resulting in two pregnant ewes dying from stress and injuries. An agreement between the dog owner and the farmer was negotiated for the former to compensate the latter.
The team has also been involved in a dedicated campaign, Op Collar, to investigate and prevent dog thefts. Most significant incident has been the execution of a search warrant leading to the seizure of numerous dogs believed to have been stolen or being used for unscrupulous breeding. One of these dogs has already been reunited with her rightful owner, having been stolen over six months ago.
Sussex Police and Crime Commissioner Katy Bourne,
who was re-elected for a further term of office last month, said: “Through my ongoing consultations with local residents and organisations, including the National Farmers Union, I know that the Rural Crime Team are doing amazing work for our more remote communities.
“Rural crime is particularly worrying and, since the Covid-19 lockdown, there have been many disturbing reports of fly-tipping and expensive equipment theft.
“Feedback from the rural communities is that they feel their concerns and reports have been taken extremely seriously by the team, and that proactive and robust action is being taken to keep them and their livelihoods safe and secure.”
We hope you have enjoyed reading this article. The future of our volunteer led, non-profit publication would be far more secure with the aid of a small donation. You can also support local journalism by becoming a friend of HIP. It only takes a minute and we would be very grateful.
Leave a Reply