Surrey: Police pledge to visit every union farmer in the county

The forces undertook operations to target and disrupt wildlife, environmental, heritage and agricultural crimes

Surrey Police have pledged to visit every National Farmer's Union member to help them address concerns about crime.

The claim was made as police forces came together in a week of action.

Kent, Surrey, Sussex, Hampshire and Isle of Wight, and Thames Valley police forces formed the Southeast Partnership Against Rural Crime and were in action from 26 February until Friday.

Surrey Police's Insp Darren Benge said it was "a matter of national importance".

The forces undertook operations to target and disrupt wildlife, environmental, heritage and agricultural crimes.

Operations included disrupting offenders at Dover Port alongside the national rural crime team, providing security advice at service stations and stopping suspicious vehicles.

Mr Benge added: "We know that rural crime is underreported in the county, yet many of our community say that they do not feel safe in their own homes."No one should be made to feel this way."Rural crimes are defined as offences that relate to farms, agriculture, wildlife, the environment, and heritage sites, where they are a target due to their isolation or rural location.

Inspector Benge said: "By working together collaboratively in this way I am confident that we can address the issues and offenders that we all have in common and find solutions that will make the South East a safer place for our rural community to live and work."

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