New officer recruited to stamp out stock thefts
ANEW officer with an “outstanding history” in tackling livestock theft has been recruited by NFU Mutual.
The rural insurer has funded the position for Martin Beck to join the National Rural Crime Unit (NRCU) where he will gather livestock theftrelated intelligence across the UK, spot and share trends, work with local police forces to build cases and help build prosecutions and secure convictions against the criminals.
Mr Beck has 30 years of policing experience in the field, and worked most recently as a rural affairs officer for Devon and Cornwall Police.
His appointment comes as the latest figures from NFU Mutual show that UK livestock theft cost an estimated £2.7 million in 2022 – up 8.7% from the previous year.
Matthew Screech, NFU Mutual’s lead on livestock theft, said: “Livestock theft is one of the costliest crimes to farming, with claims often involving over 50 sheep taken in a single raid. These thefts can have a devastating impact on farming businesses, as well as causing huge worry to farmers about the welfare of the stolen stock.
“We are proud to be the sole funder of the new livestock theft officer role at the National Rural Crime Unit and look forward to working with them closely to identify criminal activity and ensure dedicated police resources are targeted in areas needed most to protect farmers and their livestock.”
Superintendent Andrew Huddleston, who heads up the National Rural Crime Unit, added that the impact of livestock theft “must not be under estimated”.
He said: “It is a crime that is more than just the stealing of a commodity. These animals are the livelihood of many farmers and often the result of several generations of dedicated animal husbandry. I am delighted that NFU Mutual has committed to a three-year package to help us support police forces investigate livestock theft across the UK.
“Martin Beck, who has an outstanding history in this specialist field of work, will join the National Rural Crime Unit in February and I would encourage anyone with information about livestock thefts to contact our team.”