Joint bid to tackle Suffolk rural crime

Police officers are teaming up with farmers in Suffolk in a bid to cut agricultural crime.

Safer Neighbourhood Teams will visit the 400 farms in Babergh in the next three months to try and build stronger links with the farming community.

The National Farmers' Union estimates that at least £500,000 worth of equipment is stolen each year from farms in Suffolk.

The campaign has been funded by Suffolk Police Authority.

Crime details

During the farm visits, officers will hand out packs which will include a farm survey and information on Farmwatch and Horsewatch,

Insp Paul Crick said: "There are approximately 400 farms in the Babergh area, which represents a large proportion of the community.

"This campaign will allow us to improve our communication with them and when the consultation surveys are returned further decisions can be made as to how we can all work more closely together to reduce crime."

He also urged farmers to sign up to the Farmwatch scheme which gives up-to-date crime details in a bid to help farmers protect themselves.

Babergh crime reduction officer Verity Line said: "These groups are our eyes and ears in rural locations.

"They will know when a vehicle is out of place and we should seek to build these relationships and capture this knowledge."