Following news that Humberside Police’s Rural Taskforce has slashed rural crime, Graham visited the Team at their roadshow in Bridlington.
He also had the chance to catch up with Police and Crime Commissioner Jonathan Evison, who has supported the Rural Taskforce with significant investment since 2021.
Since 2021 the Rural Taskforce has seen:
Decreased rural farm burglaries by 22%
Decreased farm thefts by 62%
Decreased GPS thefts by 90%
Decreased ATV/Quad/Trailer thefts by 70%
Decreased construction/plant thefts by 35%
Reduced livestock thefts by 100%
Reduced fuel thefts by 71%
Reduced criminal damage by 81%
The Rural Taskforce takes a proactive approach to slashing crime through grants to farmers for thermal cameras which dramatically improves conviction rates, regular patrols and working with farmers.
Graham had the chance to see some of the Taskforce’s state-of-the-art equipment. Only last year, the team received £162,000 to upgrade that equipment, including new All-Terrain Vehicles.
Hare coursing has been a particular stain on the rural communities in Beverley and Holderness due to the flat land of the area.
Graham was a strong campaigner for a change in the sentencing for hare coursers, which was passed in 2022.
Three hare coursers were recently given heavy fines and suspended sentences following an incident of hare coursing near Goole in October of this year.
Beverley and Holderness MP Graham Stuart said: “Rural crime is a blight on the countryside and those who live and work there, and we’re lucky to have a great Police and Crime Commissioner in Jonathan Evison who supports Humberside Police’s Rural Taskforce in their endeavours to stamp it out.
“Seeing the team’s equipment shows the investment that Jonathan is putting into tackling the scourge of rural crime and I’m delighted at their successes.”
Humberside Police and Crime Commissioner Jonathan Evison said, “It was great to have Graham to see what our Rural Taskforce is doing.
“They’re slashing crime in rural areas across Beverley and Holderness and, thanks to the Government’s support, the team is going from strength to strength.”
