To receive an update on rural crime.

Sergeant Andy Ward, from Thames Valley Police, gave a verbal update on rural crime. Since the last meeting held on 30th November 2021, there were 28 incidents flagged as rural crime incidents. When breaking down these reported incidents, hare coursing was the biggest recorded issue reported to Thames Valley Police (TVP) with 18 incidents being related to hare coursing.

While two reported incidents have been recorded as hare coursing, other reported incidents such as wildlife hunting offences, suspicious vehicles or persons, and criminal damages had been related to the issue of hare coursing.

In the same timespan (since November 2022), roughly 800 domestic incidents were reported to Thames Valley Police. While these numbers were relatively low in comparison to other crime types, it was suspected that there were more incidents going on which were undetected or underreported to TVP.

Sergeant Andy Ward stated that TVP had been working with Alan Keene around developing a WhatsApp group with the local community in RBWM; the group had over 40 members. Sergeant Andy Ward mentioned that he had cross-referenced all the information from this WhatsApp group, and they all referred to incidents that had been reported to TVP.

Sergeant Andy Ward then discussed the rural crime task force. On 8th March 2022, they did some targeted patrols and linked up with local officers. They also took the opportunity to speak to some local farmers. As a local team and with consultation with William Emmett and other local farmers, TVP have been working with the rural crime taskforce to develop its existing rural operation. This would involve changing from conducting hotspot patrols to do something more targeted.

Sergeant Andy Ward added that TVP were also looking into training local officers in the use of off-road vehicles to enable better capabilities with patrols and police action. They were also looking into pulling its local resources alongside other local police areas to promote more collaborated local operations across the areas.

After expressing appreciation to the police for their actions, Geoffrey Copas gave an update to the Forum of a recent meeting between farmers and the police, organised by David Scott on 8th March. He stated the most important point to report from the meeting was the change in approach in the police of being prepared to meet farmers, which Geoffrey Copas approved, and believed the meeting was the best way to resolve crime.

He added that at the end of the meeting, when farmers were asked if there should be another meeting with the police, no hands were raised. Geoffrey Copas stated that this suggested the farmers were satisfied with the police’s action.

On hare coursing, Geoffrey Copas mentioned it definitely occurred south of Maidenhead because of the existence of large open fields.

Councillor Hunt asked if there was any idea of the perpetrators of hare coursing. Sergeant Andy Ward replied that the main focus of TVP, working alongside the rural crime taskforce, was to identify and catch the perpetrators in the act. He then stated that the perpetrators were not necessarily local; rather there was a proportion of people going across areas to commit rural crime offences. One reason how this was known was because vehicles could be found which were linked to other areas, which also added the complexity of the problem.

William Westacott asked what was TVP’s definition of rural crime; elaborating by then asking whether a burglary of a grain storage or farm building would be recorded as a burglary or rural crime. Sergeant Andy Ward answered that the definition was broad; whereby a burglary at a farm and hunting offences would be classified as rural crime. To give an example, he stated that six recorded burglary/thefts came under the definition of rural crime.

The Co-Chair Councillor Bateson asked about the theft of machinery. Sergeant Andy Ward replied that there had not been a prevalence of those types of offences reported to TVP. He reiterated the largest proportion of reported crimes were related to or were suspected to be hare coursing. He then stated that theft did not seem to be a major issue in Windsor and Maidenhead.

Barbara Story, southern Parish Councils' representative on the Forum, asked if there were cases of animal theft. Sergeant Andy Ward replied that there had not any reported animal thefts in the last three months.

Having attended the police-farmer meeting, Councillor Rayner suggested another similar meeting could be held in the future, stating farming was important in the Borough and that and RBWM should whatever it could to help out local farmers.

In reference to the police-farmer meeting, Alan Keene stated that the lack of raised hands over having a follow-up meeting should be “taken with a pinch of salt” that this was a lack of support for a follow-up meeting. He stated that he had discussion with David Scott and there were plans to have a follow-up meeting.

Alan Keene then asked Sergeant Andy Ward that there had been mentions in the rural crime WhatsApp group of vehicles being seized and wondered what happened to those vehicles. Sergeant Andy Ward answered that a seized vehicle related to one of the incidents mentioned in the police-farmer meeting in March had been disposed. All the completed inquiries in the investigation of that incident meant TVP had the lawful authority to destroy the vehicle.

Alan Keene then followed up by asking if Sergeant Andy Ward knew anything about a specific incident in which Alan Keene was involved in whereby a neighbour of his was told that the vehicle was seized in Essex. Sergeant Andy Ward replied that he did not know the answer but was willing to give him the details later.

Geoffrey Copas commented that farmers had been increasingly protective of their machinery as they had become more aware of machinery being stolen. On hare coursing, Geoffrey Copas stated that it was to be expected for trenches to be dug around fields and lumps of concrete and machinery to be placed in gateways to stop trespassers. After talking with William Emmett, the Forum Co-Chair, Geoffrey Copas raised the issue that there had been cases of offenders buying cheap, unregistered cars and then having car rallies around farmers’ fields.

David Scott commented that the police-farmer meeting held in March came across as successful. The meeting was well attended and gave farmers the opportunity to report incidents they had experienced. Based on the meeting, he stated that the reported rural crime incidents fell into three categories. Firstly, many cases of hare coursing. Secondly, car rallies in fields in which usually damage fields and sometimes cause fires. Thirdly, trespassing on farmland by people.

David Scott then asked Sergeant Andy Ward for a summary of the rural crime taskforce. Andy Ward answered that it was a central department at TVP which had a series of resources. They worked at flexible hours so they could respond to particular trends or serious incidents. The taskforce also had capabilities of research, investigation and intelligence in regard to rural crime incidents. In terms of structure of the department, the taskforce had an inspector, a sergeant and about 10 constables alongside some civilian investigators.

Councillor Coppinger asked if rural crime was particularly focused in certain geographical areas, citing a conversation he had with a couple of local farmers where they gave the impression that it was only in their farming areas in which there was crime. Andy Ward answered that rural crime was recorded across the Borough. He added that, in terms of the figures, rural crime was low compared to other types of crime.

Alan Keene gave an answer. He said there seemed to be a concentration of activity around the Drift Road area but added that this was anecdotal as he did not have factual evidence. He then said that a suggested reason was because hare coursing could only occur in large fields with hares. In other parts of the Borough, there were no hares and the fields were smaller; therefore, they were not suitable for hare coursing.