WHAT ARE THE IMPACTS?

13.4% INCREASE IN THE COST OF RURAL CRIME IN 2017 OVER 2016 (NFU Mutual)

Financial The average financial impact of crime on rural-specific business owners was £4,800 in 2018.

Safety Fly-tipping (reported by 57% of respondents) and speeding (32%) were the top two offences reported by rural residents; they may seem minor but these crimes can profoundly affect wellbeing. “People speed through villages but you also get groups of motorbikes and that affects safety and quality of life, especially when it happens regularly,” says police commissioner Julia Mulligan.

Social and emotional The survey also found that crime, and the fear of crime, is leading to emotional strain and a loss of confidence, particularly among young people, families and farmers. “The fear of being burgled is a huge concern for farmers,” says NFU Mutual’s Price. “It is felt far more keenly than the physical loss of something that can be dealt with by insurance. You hear that a farm a mile away has been raided, then one half a mile away, it leads to sleepless nights, anxiety and feelings of helplessness. People feel very vulnerable.”