CRIME GANGS’ VILLAGE HAUL

City-based crooks make a killing in the countryside

CROOKS are targeting farms and villages in a rural crimewave.

Break-ins at remote properties are soaring as criminals look for rich pickings in poorly policed areas.

There has been a 13.4% rise in break-ins in villages and small communities since 2010, investigators found.

Gangs target high-end cars such as Range Rovers, plus tractors and farm tools.

The cost to homes and farms last year was £44.5million – the highest level since 2013.

The steepest rises were in south-east England, Wales and the Midlands.

Drug dealers are also targeting countryside communities to boost profits away from the better-policed cities and towns.

More than 720 rural networks have been set up by gangs in Manchester, Liverpool, London and other cities to sell crack cocaine and heroin in small towns and villages.

Gangs also watch homes and farms to see where equipment and vehicles are kept.

They use low-loaders to drive off with tractors, Land Rovers, all-terrain vehicles and quad bikes that can end up overseas. Two tractors worth a total of £96,000 were recovered from Lithuania after they were stolen in Scotland in 2016.

Nine more tractors were discovered in northern Cyprus.

NFU Mutual rural affairs expert Tim Price said it was feared more criminals were targeting rich pickings away from cities.

He said: “From the south-east of England to the north of Scotland, we’re seeing brazen criminals stealing cars, 4x4s, tractors, quad bikes and tools. We’re especially concerned that criminals are becoming more sophisticated and overcoming electronic security to steal expensive vehicles of all types.

“With police facing huge challenges – including budget cuts and extra workload – forces are finding it hard to resource rural policing. This may be one of the reasons for the rise in thefts.”

NFU Mutual has invested over £1m in schemes set up to tackle agricultural vehicle theft and rural crime.