Rural Crime Action Week: Thames Valley Police reports decline in rural crime

Rural districts of West Oxfordshire, South Oxfordshire, and the Vale of White Horse saw a 36% decrease in the first quarter of this year compared with the same period last year.

A spokesperson for the force said that this downward trend demonstrates the impact of the work done by Community Safety Partnerships, Thames Valley Police, the police and crime commissioner, the National Farmers’ Union, and British farmers.  

Rural Crime Action Week, which is celebrated between 8th and 12th September, highlights that victims of rural crime face unique challenges that are too easily overlooked.

Rural crime is an issue for large areas of the country, but it tends to go unreported. It can impact insurance premiums, food prices, and damage local communities.  

Each year, Thames Valley Police support the National Operational Rural Crime Week, during which they increase the spotlight on operations to prevent and disrupt crime in rural communities.

Over £8m of stolen goods recovered 

Thames Valley police and crime commissioner Matthew Barber said: “I made tackling rural crime a priority when I was elected, and now Thames Valley has an outstanding Rural Crime Taskforce, which has conducted hundreds of investigations and provided invaluable crime prevention advice to rural residents.

“This concerted effort is clearly having an impact, leading to the downward trend in rural crime trend we are now witnessing thanks to our funding and our commitment to support farmers.”   

The Thames Valley Rural Crime Taskforce, launched in March 2022, consists of a dedicated team of officers and intelligence specialists. Their mission is to make the Thames Valley a hostile place for those committing rural crime.  

By working closely with partners and local communities, the taskforce is helping to combat serious organised rural crime and enhance safety in rural areas. 

This taskforce has recovered over £8 million worth of stolen goods, including £4 million in 2024 alone. This includes 88 caravans, 441 motor vehicles, and 63 items of plant and machinery. In 2024, the Taskforce completed 566 investigations, made 245 arrests, and achieved a 29% positive outcome rate. 

Protecting isolated communities and decreasing costs of rural crime 

The PCC also funded a rural crime advisor within Thames Valley Police, working to promote rural crime prevention and increase engagement with rural communities, including local farmers and groups such as Young Farmers and the National Farmers Union.  

Over a 15-month period, 400 farms received a visit from the police and benefited from target hardening, increasing security on local farms, exceeding provisional targets threefold. 

The Safer Streets Rural Project focused on community engagement, target hardening, and proactive patrols. Residents were advised to be vigilant, to keep equipment under lock and key, and, where possible, to mark property. 

Rural Crime Taskforce lead, Inspector Stuart Hutchings, said: “Working in partnership with our rural communities and stakeholders, the Rural Crime Taskforce is committed to creating a hostile environment for those who seek to offend in our countryside.  

“Our focus on organised criminality has revealed how offenders will travel significant distances to target rural areas. Regardless of where they operate, we will pursue them relentlessly and work across borders to bring them to justice.” 

Rural crime encompasses a variety of offences, such as environmental crime, theft, arson, and wildlife crime. Criminal gangs exploit our local wildlife, environment, and communities, putting those who live and work in the countryside under threat.  

The NFU Mutual 2025 Rural Crime Report has found that in recent years rural crime has become increasingly organised, serious and persistent in nature, with thieves willing to pull out all the stops to get what they desire, and sadly we saw that trend continue in 2024. 

However, due to proactive intervention and collaboration with law enforcement, the estimated cost of rural crime decreased by 16.5% year-on-year, to £44.1 million. In the South East, the cost of rural crime was £7.1 million in 2024, according to NFU Mutual. 

Read more rural crime news.