Agricultural crime rate more than doubled last year

Agricultural crime rates in the rural areas surrounding Strabane rocketed by 130 per-cent last year, fresh police data has revealed.

In 2023, the PSNI recorded 23 incidents of burglary, robbery and theft from local fields and farmyards, as organised gangs set their sights on the district’s machinery, livestock and fuel.

This was up from just 10 in 2021, representing a staggering and deeply disconcerting jump.

Earlier this week, we spoke with Tyrone man Stephen Brown, Ulster Farmers’ Union Mid Ulster chairperson, who told us he believes this rising rural crime wave is a product of the industry’s growing reliance on expensive vehicles, the soaring cost of meat, and a lack of judicial and departmental protection for farmers, which is all combining to create a multi-million pound agricultural black market.

“Between the price of machinery, livestock and fuel, the criminal underworld has taken a very unwelcome interest in the agricultural sector in the last few years, and farmers need to do whatever they can to protect themselves,” he said.

“When perpetrators are caught, the consequences are seldom severe. Very few custodial sentences are handed down, and, on the rare occasions that they are, they usually aren’t very long.

“As well as that, the Department of Agriculture, even when provided with DNA samples, seems to have a real problem proving that somebody has obtained their livestock illegally.”

Therefore, in the absence of proper protection, Mr Brown advises all farmers to take all reasonable precautions to guard their farms against these crafty criminal enterprises.

“You must do the simple things right,” said Mr Brown.

“When it comes to machinery and vehicles, make sure they are immobilised, fitted with trackers and locked away at night. Don’t leave them sitting in the field in the dark. You want them in a secure shed, obscured from the view of any potential thieves.”

However, when it comes to livestock larceny, Mr Brown acknowledged there are fewer precautions available.

“The people who are stealing cattle and sheep know how to work with animals. They have access to quads and trailers, and they must be using dogs to get the animals herded up quickly.

“Stopping this is much harder.”

Offering one final – and crucial– piece of advice to his fellow farmers, Mr Brown said CCTV was probably the greatest criminal repellent.

“Get cameras installed, get plenty of signage up to say so, and, if you can, get sensor lights connected to them. There is nothing a burglar hates more than the spotlight being shone on him.”