Norfolk police on Operation Randall

A new alliance between police and senior members of Norfolk’s agricultural community has been launched as officers look to get tough on rural crime.

To send a link to this page to a friend, simply enter their email address below.

The message will include the name and email address you gave us when you signed up.

Email address

  Send link

To send a link to this page to a friend, you must be logged in.

A high profile action day on the Norfolk/Cambridgeshire border yesterday marked the first phase of the new initiative. Roadside checks were carried out to identify travelling criminals using the main routes into the county.

It was part of Operation Randall which will see farmers and landowners encouraged to work with the police to help identify, disrupt and deter criminals targeting the Norfolk countryside.

The Farm Watch scheme, the National Farmers’ Union, Norfolk hunts and leading Norwich-based agricultural engineers Ben Burgess have teamed up with Norfolk police.

Det Supt Nick Dean said: “Operation Randall is seeking to target rural crime, in particular those offences that impact on farmers and people who reside or work in isolated locations and whose premises have been vulnerable to attack.

“Norfolk is a low crime county and that is particularly true in rural areas. But one crime in a normally quiet community can have a massive impact on people’s sense of security.”

The latest campaign follows up on the success of the ongoing Operation Radar which has led to a dramatic reduction in of offences linked to rogue traders, bogus callers and scrap metal thieves.

Operation Randall will focus on crimes ranging from the theft of large farm machinery to fuel and heating oil thefts and wildlife crime.

“Rural areas are more prone to offences such as fuel and scrap metal theft along with rural-specific crimes such as theft of agricultural machinery and hare coursing,” Mr Dean said.

By working with other agencies, such as the Environment Agency and Trading Standards, those breaking the law could face action even if the police cannot bring a criminal prosecution.

Mr Dean added that in some cases criminals were highly organised, for example gangs stealing hi-tech farm equipment, such as tractors worth more than £100,000 each, before exporting it to the continent.

But smaller thefts can be equally disruptive: “If a farmer has a plough stolen, it may be a relatively cheap bit of equipment but it can be hard to replace and may be enormously disruptive to their work.”

According to NFU Mutual farm machinery thefts rose by 15pc last year. A snap-shot survey carried out by the insurer for the EDP also found a large number of claims for burglaries at rural properties and thefts of scrap metal.

The launch of Operation Randall follows consultation by senior police officers with farming groups across the county.

They agreed that improved communication between police and farming communities would help provide a more responsive police service.

Joanna Johnson, a senior agent at the Diss Branch of NFU Mutual, said: “A few years ago farm machinery theft was virtually unheard of. In more recent years tools were commonly stolen but this has now escalated to the theft of valuable large farm machinery is becoming a huge problem.”

Farmers will be encouraged to report incidents to police to help build intelligence on people or vehicles linked to rural crime and can sign up to receive crime updates by e-mail, voicemail or text via Norfolk police’s free Police Direct system.

Work will be carried out to bolster security at the most vulnerable locations.

Tony Bone, director of independent rural security organisation Farm Watch, said: “The most prevalent crimes we are seeing are thefts of diesel, trailers and teleporters from farm premises and damage caused to property by unlicensed musical events.

“We are very happy to be involved in this scheme and to be working together with the police to crack down on rural crime.”

During yesterday’s roadside checks at locations on the A47 near Wisbech, police teams were joined by officers from the Environment Agency, Trading Standards and the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency, to carry out checks on vehicles and people of interest.

The team were looking for offences linked to rural crime including those carrying scrap metal or farm machinery, waste carriers operating illegally and tax-dodging motorists running their vehicles on red diesel.

More than 50 vehicles were pulled over and the majority were law-abiding motorists.

Sgt Sam Pontin, from the Terrington safer neighbourhood team, who led the operation, said: “We will be conducting similar operations in other locations to continue our efforts to stop criminals coming in and out of the county.”