Rural crime on the rise in Hertfordshire
Date of alert:
Wednesday 10 August 2022
Crime Ref:
Force:
Hertfordshire Constabulary
Rural crime in Hertfordshire is on the rise according to farmers' insurer NFU Mutual as thieves target fuel, livestock and vehicles.
The organisation's latest research revealed the cost to the county was an estimated £928,000 in 2021, a rise of 19% from the previous year.
The hike was against the national trend as 2021 rural crime costs across the UK fell by 9.3% to £40.5m.
However, NFU Mutual said claims indications showed a rise in the cost of rural crime towards the end of 2021 in both the South East and England as a whole.
Initial estimates from the insurer also revealed the first quarter of 2022 has seen thieves making up for time lost over the pandemic, with UK costs over 40% higher than the same period last year.
Criminals continued to plague farmyards stealing high-value farm machinery, with losses of £9m.
