Graham Stuart, Member of Parliament for Beverley and Holderness, praised the work of Humberside’s Rural Crime Team during his meeting with them. This took place at a local farm which was the scene of a recent robbery where five sheep were stolen and slaughtered.
During his visit, Graham met Sergeant Kevin Jones, PC Rich Fussey and PC Sam Blakeborough from the Rural Taskforce. They discussed the steps they are taking to prevent the theft of farming equipment and livestock, including providing grants to farmers in the East Riding to tag farming machinery.
Graham also congratulated them on the sharp decline in the number of hare coursing incidents in the region, which has decreased by 42% in the last year. In January 2022, Humberside Police was given new powers to combat this following Graham’s campaign with farmers, Holderness FarmWatch and Libby Bateman of the CLA to get these measures introduced. Humberside Police is working tirelessly to stamp out this crime.
To continue their great work, the team received £162,000 for new equipment which will reduce rural crime in our area. Graham was shown one of the Force’s new All-Terrain Vehicles funded by this uplift which, alongside two new motorcycles and thermal cameras, will support the team in tackling this scourge on our community.
Based out of Driffield Police Station, the Rural Taskforce was formed in 2021 and works proactively to disrupt rural crimes like night-time poaching, equipment theft and hare coursing. The specialist unit also allows for more effective information sharing between police forces, helping contribute to Operation Galileo, a formal partnership of 20 police forces covering areas of the country most affected by hare coursing.
Graham was delighted when the team won National Wildlife Crime Team of the Year 2022 and was named Partner Operation of the Year for Operation Seabird for the second year running, which protects seabirds and marine mammals.
Sergeant Kevin Jones from the Rural Taskforce commented: “Rural crime in Beverley and Holderness will not be tolerated. Graham has been a constant champion of our work, particularly though his hare coursing campaign, and we will continue to work with him and farmers across the region to ensure our communities stay safe.”
Beverley and Holderness MP Graham Stuart said: “Everyone who lives in a rural community deserves to be safe – whether that’s from theft, joyriding or hare coursing. That’s why I’m so proud of our Rural Crime Team.
“It was great to spend some time with them to hear about the work they are doing to keep us safe and their new equipment which they are putting to good use.
“I’ve been told going down our country lanes in an ATV is quite something and I look forward to experiencing that next time.”
