Rural Crime Wave Sparks Fear Among Farming Families in West Wales

A farming union has issued a warning regarding a “worrying” surge in rural crime affecting regions like west Wales. NFU Cymru reported knowledge of approximately 20 farm thefts in Ceredigion and Pembrokeshire over the last few months. A Pembrokeshire resident, whose quad bike was stolen – an incident unions describe as a “huge blow” – stated that his family now feels apprehensive about being on the farm after dark. Dyfed-Powys Police officers indicated their belief that perpetrators likely surveyed farms prior to committing the crimes. Reports of theft incidents have circulated on social media, originating from various locations within the area, including Llanwnnen, Crosswell, Milford Haven, Rosebush, and the Gwaun valley. Mark Davies, a farmer in north Pembrokeshire, experienced the theft of a quad bike from a shed in the early hours of bank holiday Monday in August. CCTV footage recorded around 01:10 BST showed two individuals pushing the bike away from his calving shed. “You could see these people coming in,” he stated. “I felt really angry that they’d been on the yard and taken something. We as farmers depend on the bike more than any sort of other item of machinery you have.” Mr. Davies noted the theft’s effect on his family. “We’ve got three girls here and everybody is really nervous. They don’t really want to go out on the yard in the dark. “You weren’t sure who was going to be there and if there’s somebody watching you. It’s definitely had an effect. It’s not a nice feeling.” “I think the offenders know the law favours the offender to a point and restricts what police can do. Some areas of the community the police think is a no-go area.” “Perhaps the police know who they are, but it’s very difficult to convict with the evidence.” According to the most recent data from insurance provider NFU Mutual, the estimated cost of rural crime throughout the UK rose by 4.3% year-on-year in 2023, reaching £52.8 million. Quad bike and all-terrain vehicle (ATV) thefts reported to NFU Mutual were estimated to cost £3.2 million in 2023, representing a 9% increase from the prior year. In Wales, rural crime saw an estimated increase of 6.7% last year. Aled Davies, NFU Cymru’s county adviser for Ceredigion and Pembrokeshire, commented: “There’s a bit of a crime wave happening at the moment, particularly in west Wales. “We’ve got reports of up to 15 to 20 incidents in the last few months. It gives a worrying trend. “Historically, it has always been organised crime behind it. They steal to order. “It has a huge financial implication but a mental one too. Unless you’ve got lots of cameras up everywhere you can’t protect every inch of that land.” He characterized the quad bike as the contemporary equivalent of a sheepdog, noting that its loss could be a “huge blow.” However, he suggested that farmers could implement straightforward practical measures for self-protection, such as securing quad bikes in a shed, acquiring a tracker, and setting up CCTV. He further stated, “Having a better police presence in rural areas would perhaps deter thieves.” “I would never turn down the opportunity for more of a presence in rural areas from the police force.” PC Jonathan Thomas of Dyfed-Powys Police remarked: “It is very concerning. Unfortunately, there’s an increase in rural crime, generally, across the force area. “These incidents are also taking place during the hours of darkness which is very concerning. It can have a massive impact on the community and also the confidence of people who live in these rural areas.” PC Thomas theorizes that offenders might have surveyed the farms to understand the layout before executing the thefts. “We don’t know at this time who is responsible – however, what I would say is we believe these persons responsible are opportunists. “They are people who will have a very good knowledge of these rural areas and the roads and routes to and from these areas. The likelihood is they will have attended these areas prior to committing the offence.”