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On 8 June I went to Melton Mowbray for one of my regular Community Days. As usual, I had trailed my visit on social media to see what was of concern.
Fly tipping was a top worry. The volunteer Melton Wombles do their best, but the sheer scale of fly tipping can get on top of them. I am pleased to report that the police are now forming an effective partnership with the Melton Council’s Environmental Crime officer and together they have a series of joint operations planned for the summer.
Anti-social behaviour (ASB) in the town centre was also commented upon. Again, our local police are rising to the challenge. They will be laying on a series of targeted foot patrols which will visit the places where ASB is reported most often. This should deter trouble and, with luck, might lead to an arrest or two. The police are also forming a joint project with the Leicester Rider basketball team to give teenagers something constructive to do – so let’s see how that works out.
Some residents of villages near Melton reported worries about criminals scouting out properties to raid. They were said to drive in cars with false number plates, and to return to burgle – sometimes armed with iron bars.
This last concern brought me to the main purpose of my day – to tour the rural areas around Melton with the Rural Policing Team. Because this was a community day with a difference as I was concentrating on the agricultural community. My guides for the day being PC Rob Cross and PC Matt Houghton of the Rural Policing Unit.
I began with a tasty breakfast at the Off the Beaten Path café in Melton town centre, then joined PC Cross and PC Houghton in the car park of the Melton police station. Clambering into one of the Unit’s Ford Rangers, we headed west towards Saxelbye to meet Mr Wright of the eponymous Wright’s Agriculture. I didn’t want to say anything on arrival, but Mr Wright was very smartly dressed. It turned out he was off to the races later on.
We began with a tour around the buildings, where Wright’s stored their vehicles and other equipment. As we walked around, Mr Wright pointed out the impressive array of security features that protected the buildings from unwelcome intruders.
“We’ve had to install these after that recent break in that we had,” Mr Wright told me. What had been taken? “The GPS of course,” came the reply. “It’s been nothing but GPS thefts since the Ukraine war began!”
I must have looked puzzled because PC Cross chipped in. “See that bulge on top of the tractor? That’s the GPS. It tracks the tractor or whatever as it moves across the field. That ensures that the driver does not waste time spraying the same area twice, and it keeps your ploughing straight. They are far more accurate than the satnav in your car and cost several thousands of pounds each.”
But what had the Ukrainian war got to do with a farming contractor in Leicestershire? “Oh well with all the sanctions imposed on Russia, they can’t get hold of these things. And they are desperate. They need them for their tanks and artillery, you see. They’ll pay top dollar for any accurate GPS that they can get.”
Mr Wright nodded. “And there’s a big waiting list for them due to the high demand. It can take weeks for a farmer to get a new GPS.”
We then moved on to an agricultural supplier. The shop was packed with all sorts of clothing, feed, equipment and several things I did not recognise. PC Houghton had a bundle of trailer stickers tucked under his arm as we walked in.
“Hello,” smiled the lady behind the counter. “Those will be our stickers then? They go like hot cakes, you know.” These are stickers that are attached to the rear of farm trailers, tractors and the like. They inform anyone following them that the vehicle should not be on the road between 10pm and 6am. They have proved to be an impressively successful way of identifying stolen farm equipment and getting it recovered.
PC Houghton had a surprise. He whipped out a large poster produced in conjunction with CrimeStoppers. “Could you put this up somewhere that your customers will see it?” he asked. The crime prevention message was clear and the poster had QR codes to direct customers on how to help.
“I’ll put it there,” the lady said.
Back in the Ranger we headed off to Brooksby Agricultural College. We pulled up beside a barn and other buildings and hopped out. PC Cross began wondering around. We found a baby lamb in a pen, but no actual people. “Here, have a go on this,” called PC Houghton. Before I knew what was happening, I was seated in a large farm vehicle with hydraulic lifting gear. After a short lesson in the controls, I was let loose. It was a daunting experience but was soon over when a man in overalls appeared. I hurriedly switched off and clambered down.
My guides were soon deep in conversation about the importance of teaching students the importance of security and crime prevention on farms and in rural settings.
“They’re more interested in learning about farming,” man said. “Like most folks they don’t think it will happen to them.”
“Better safe than sorry, though,” reminded PC Cross. The man nodded but did not seem convinced his students would get the message.
Off we went again to another farm, Rotherby Lodge. As soon as we pulled into the yard we could hear banging and sawing noises from a barn. Inside we found Richard Machin, who immediately stopped what he was doing and invited us in for a very welcome cup of tea. His son soon joined us. “I saw you arrive,” he said. “What’s wrong?”
Nothing was wrong, but I had been brought here to learn about how rural crime can affect livestock farmers. Very badly, was the answer. Over tea I was educated in modern livestock technique and how thieves will take the animals, feed and equipment. “We’ve got good security here,” I was told. “So, we’ve not lost anything recently. But all that equipment costs money and that eats into our profits.”
For our final stop of the day it was back into Melton centre to go to the NFU Mutual offices. There we talked about the impact on insurance premiums of theft from farms and other rural businesses. The costs are going up fast and that can impact on profits, expansion and rural employment rates.
I finished my day with a new appreciation of just how badly crime can affect rural communities – and of the valuable work that our Rural Policing Team is doing to combat the criminals.
One final word. If you live in a rural area, please report all crime or suspected crime via the police force website, or phone line 101.
Rupert Matthews
Police and Crime Commissioner for Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland
Posted on Monday 26th June 2023