A NEW report published by a rural insurer has revealed that rural theft across the county has cost Hampshire an estimated £1.4m.

NFU Mutual, which published the report on Tuesday, August 1, confirmed that the figure follows the national trend as 2022 rural crime costs across the UK rose 22 per cent to an estimated £49.5m.

This comes against a background of soaring values and low supply of farm machinery worldwide. Criminal gangs have responded by establishing illicit global markets for farm machinery and technology equipment.

As a result, the UK cost of agricultural vehicle theft reported to NFU Mutual rose by 29 per cent to £11.7m in 2022.

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A survey of NFU Mutual Agents based in rural communities across the UK found 70 per cent knew farmers who had been repeat victims of rural crime, with 86 per cent saying thieves are cashing in on the limited supply of vehicles and rising prices.

The UK cost of GPS theft increased by 15 per cent to £1.8m in 2022. However, the problem has sharply escalated in the first four months of 2023, with the cost of GPS theft doubling to more than £500,000 compared to the same period last year.

The sophisticated equipment, typically costing over £10,000, is used to guide tractors and combine harvesters. Without it, farmers face severe delays and disruption to harvesting and cultivating work, with long waits for replacement kit.

Meanwhile, the UK cost of livestock theft rose 8.7 per cent in 2022, totalling an estimated £2.7m.

Patrick Govier, agent at NFU Mutual Alton, said: “Highly-organised gangs are causing disruption to farming and widespread concern to people who live and work in the countryside.

“Rural theft is changing. It is not only opportunist thieves travelling a few miles, we are now seeing internationally organised criminal activity. These gangs target high-value farm machinery and GPS kits because they can be sold all over the world.

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“Many items are stolen ‘to order’ by thieves using online technology to identify where farm machinery is stored and scope out the best way to steal it. They will also spend hours watching the movement of farming families to work out the best time to attack.

“Loss of vital machinery and GPS equipment causes huge disruption to farmers who are already stretched to the limit and replacing kit in the current economic situation can take months, adding additional stress.”

To help farmers and rural communities protect their livelihoods from the threat posed by organised crime, NFU Mutual provided more than £400,000 in support for rural crime-fighting initiatives last year.

A dedicated agricultural vehicle theft unit, funded and set up by NFU Mutual in 2010, is now part of the new National Rural Crime Unit.

The full report can be viewed by visiting the NFU Mutual website.