NFU Mutual reports sharp rise in rural crime as cost of living crisis hits countryside

The start of 2022 has seen a sharp rise in rural crime as the cost of living crisis hits the countryside, according to Warwickshire-headquartered insurer NFU Mutual.

Following two years of decreasing rural theft during the pandemic, NFU Mutual's Rural Crime Report reveals the first quarter of 2022 has seen thieves making up for lost time with costs over 40 per cent higher than the same period last year.

The cost of rural theft was an estimated £40.5 million across the UK last year.

Despite last year’s overall decrease, signs that rural criminals are on the return had already started to show towards the end of 2021.

Well-organised criminals continued to plague farmyards stealing high-value farm machinery as the cost of agricultural vehicle theft reported to NFU Mutual remained at over £9 million last year.

Land Rover Defender owners battled a barrage of crime as the rocketing value of second-hand cars and replacement parts saw thieves stealing the iconic British 4x4 vehicles and stripping them down, with the cost of claims shooting up by 87 per cent to £2.6 million.

And although NFU Mutual saw the cost of stolen quad-bikes and all-terrain vehicles fall 11 per cent to £2.2 million in 2021, almost half of those thefts took place from September to December.

As shipping delays and the effects of Covid and Brexit contributed to low supply and a rise in demand, thieves turned their sights back to these easily portable, hot-ticket items to capitalise on growing waiting lists and soaring market values.

Rustling has also become more lucrative for criminal gangs, and latest analysis shows farm animals worth an estimated £2.4m were stolen in 2021.

Soaring food prices could mean that livestock theft now increases, raising concerns about food security, animal welfare and people's health due to stolen animals being slaughtered in unhygienic conditions.

The number of fuel theft claims received by NFU Mutual fell from 2020 to 2021, but with record high prices for diesel and heating oil, NFU Mutual claims data from the first half of this year indicates the frequency and cost of fuel theft claims have more than doubled compared to the same period in 2021.

In a new poll of the rural community by NFU Mutual, almost half of respondents (49 per cent) said that fuel theft was now their greatest crime concern.

The latest crime wave has prompted the insurer to issue urgent advice and a series of videos to help farmers take action to protect their property.

Rebecca Davidson, Rural Affairs Specialist at NFU Mutual, said: “Our latest claims figures warn that rural theft is quickly gathering momentum as criminals make up for time lost over the past two pandemic years.

"We’re advising rural people to review their security, to help prevent crime and disruption.

“With prices of essential farm equipment such as tractors and quads rising fast and the cost of diesel soaring over the past year, there’s little doubt that criminals will be trying to steal from farms.

"We also know that essentials of rural living like heating oil tanks will only become more attractive to thieves as costs rise.

A recent poll by NFU Mutual reveals that 89 per cent of respondents believe inflation will lead to an increase in rural crime.

“Crime in the countryside causes high levels of anxiety and disruption, with many farmers and rural home owners feeling vulnerable due to their isolated location.

"The knowledge that determined thieves are scouring the countryside looking for targets, and returning to carry out night-time raids can lead to sleepless nights for people in remote areas.

“NFU Mutual is responding by helping those living and working in rural areas to put in place effective security measures and by continuing to provide major support to enable dedicated police resources to tackle crime.”