Crime in rural areas is on the rise in the South West, a report published today reveals.

Quad bikes and other all-terrain vehicles, tools and garden equipment top thieves’ wish lists, the NFU says.

NFU Mutual says rural crime cost the South West £5.6m last year which is up almost six per cent from £5.3m the previous year.

While Somerset is placed at number seven in the top 10 worst affected areas in the country, the cost of rural crime fell by one per cent from £1,336,180 in 2015 to £1,323, 341 last year.

Lincolnshire has seen the highest increase in rural crime which is up five per cent.

Richard Carter, NFU Mutual Senior Agent in the South West, said: “The South West has seen an increase in rural crime over the last 12 months, as countryside criminals continue to become more brazen and farmers are now having to continually increase security and adopt new ways of protecting their equipment.

“In some parts of the region, farmers are having to turn their farmyards into fortresses to protect themselves from repeated thieves who are targeting quads, tractors and power tools. They are using tracking devices on tractors, video and infra-red surveillance in their farm yards and even DNA markers to protect sheep from rustlers.”

The figures form part of NFU Mutual’s annual Rural Crime Report, published today, revealing that despite the UK seeing a 4 per cent drop last year, the cost of rural theft has risen sharply in the first half of 2017.

According to the report early theft claims statistics for the first half of this year show a sharp rise of over 20 per cent nationally, raising concerns that a new wave of rural crime is hitting the countryside.

The items most commonly targeted by thieves across the South West over the last 12 months were all terrain vehicles and quad bikes, tools and garden equipment.

The report reveals that being ‘staked out’ is the biggest worry for country people, followed closely by longer police response times in rural areas, according to the leading rural insurer. Criminals continue to target Land Rover Defenders, quad bikes, tractors, tools and livestock despite increased security on farms.

Richard added: “The threat of becoming a victim of rural crime, and regular reports of suspicious characters watching farms is causing high levels of anxiety amongst farmers who know their rural location makes them vulnerable to attacks.

“Our advice to people living and working in the countryside is to regularly evaluate your current security measures making improvements where necessary, remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity to the local police and local farm watch schemes.”