Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust makes plea over nature reserve crimes

Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust said it desperately needed more visible local policing

A wildlife charity has called on the police to help it deal with a "wave of serious and organised crime" at a nature reserve.

Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust said crime was "out of control" at Idle Valley Nature Reserve in Retford.

In the past 18 months it said tens of thousands of pounds worth of items had been stolen, including a tractor.

Nottinghamshire Police said rural crime operations and patrols were regularly carried out in hotspot areas.

Bosses at the trust said the nature reserve off North Road had felt the impacts of poaching, littering and anti-social behaviour in the past but the situation had escalated over recent months.

Janice Bradley, the trust's head of nature recovery in the north, said the level of crime was now out of control.

"In addition to the thefts, recently we have been made aware of at least one incident involving a firearm and repeated incidents of dangerous off-road biking," she said.

"We desperately need more visible local policing to help stamp out these activities."

Thieves took fencing that was being used to create a secure beaver enclosure

In August 2021 fencing materials being used to create a secure enclosure for beavers were stolen along with a forklift truck.

Last summer a compact tractor and its trailer were stolen.

More recently there was an attempt to break into the livestock yard where pregnant ewes were kept.

There trust said there had been a recent attempt to break into its livestock yard

The trust said it had written to senior local police representatives and to Nottinghamshire's police and crime commissioner (PCC) Caroline Henry to raise the issue.

Ms Bradley said: "In the past few years we've invested over £300,000 to enhance wildlife habitats and update our facilities.

"It is soul-destroying for our staff and loyal volunteers to see our ability to protect and restore nature undermined by what we consider to be a wave of serious and organised crime."

Nottinghamshire Police said its records did not support the trust's claim that it had seen a wave of serious organised crime or rural-related crime.

Nottinghamshire Police said rural crime operations and patrols were regularly carried out in hotspot areas.

Ch Supt Sukesh Verma, from the force, said: "Over the last 12 months we have received 17 calls and eight incidents reported at the Idle Valley Nature Reserve site, none of which relate to serious and organised crime.

"Tackling rural crime remains at the forefront of our activities.

"Our neighbourhood policing inspector responsible for this area has worked hard to ensure neighbourhood officers are focused in their dedication to preventing and reducing crime, which includes regularly carrying out rural crime operations and high-visibility patrols in hotspot areas."