Rural and Environment

Winter rural crime: snow joking matter

December 14, 2018 by charlottebarbour No Comments | Category Agriculture, Environment, Farming

By Catriona Maclean, Head of Rural Economy and Communities

Scotland’s rural communities are some of the most rewarding – and safest – places to live and work in. However, by their very nature, rural areas and the way of life that comes with them mean there are unique set of issues and challenges faced by those who live there.

It is worth underlining that crime in rural areas is generally low – and going down, according to the recent NFU Mutual Rural Crime Report. However, it is also true that rural crime can have a disproportionate effect, as victims often feel more vulnerable and alone.

With winter blowing in and the days shortening, this sense of isolation can increase. That’s why it’s worth bearing in mind some common sense crime prevention tips to help ensure you don’t become another statistic of the season:

• Protect your livestock. This is relevant all year round, but farmers are encouraged to secure all gates with good padlocks, check the security of boundary fencing and make regular checks of fields where animals are kept to ensure fences are not breached. Take photographs of any particularly valuable animals.

•Secure farm machinery. Particularly when the nights are dark, you should park as close to your premises as possible, preferably out of sight of nearby roads. Don’t leave your keys in a visible place and consider fitting wheel clamps, alarms or locking posts if appropriate. You should mark or customise your property so it is easily identifiable to deter thieves.

• Prevent theft from fuel tanks. Don’t leave your vehicles exposed in fields with full fuel tanks, particularly at this time of year with prolonged hours of darkness. It may be worth restricting access to where you park your vehicles too, as thieves won’t want to carry quantities of fuel over distance.

• Secure your tools and horse tack. Hide the contents of your toolsheds or tack rooms from the outside and fit protective grilles on windows if appropriate. Mark or customise your tools so they are easily identifiable and secure them to racks when not in use.

The message from the Scottish Partnership Against Rural Crime (SPARC) is that people in rural communities are all in this together.

SPARC was set up to coordinate the activities of 13 local groups across the country, one in each police area, who work together with partner organisations to prevent crime and protect rural communities.

Representatives of the Scottish Government, Police Scotland, the National Farmers Union (Scotland), Scottish Land and Estates, Scottish Business Resilience Centre, NFU Mutual Insurance, Confor, Crimestoppers, Neighbourhood Watch Scotland, Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service and Scottish Fire and are all involved in SPARC.

One of the partnership’s key aims is to build awareness of Rural Watch Scotland. Rural Watch Scotland is an extension of Neighbourhood Watch Scotland and seeks to bring communities together, build community resilience and encourage people to look out for each other to keep communities safe. Having trusted neighbours watching your property when you are away from home can offer real peace of mind and deter opportunist thieves.

Anyone living in a rural community who is keen to join or start a rural watch, or even just wants to join as an individual to receive, local, targeted alerts and messages from the likes of Police Scotland, should contact Rural Watch Scotland, or call 01786 463732.

Nevertheless, it is worth underlining that crime levels in rural areas generally remain low and we wish you all a peaceful festive season.

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