Crime gangs exploit rural policing gaps, MPs told

Organised criminal gangs are exploiting gaps in rural policing, leaving farmers exposed to repeated theft, intimidation and violence, MPs have been warned.

Giving evidence to the Home Affairs Committee on Tuesday (13 October), criminology experts said serious offenders were escaping investigation because of inadequate resources and poor intelligence sharing.

See also: NFU demands stronger policing as farm crime threats rise

Dr Kate Tudor, associate professor in criminology at Durham University, said complex investigations often fell between overstretched rural policing teams and regional organised crime units (ROCUs).

“Quite often the organised criminals that are operating in rural areas are actually able to act with impunity because they kind of slip between the cracks of policing – they’re too large for local forces and too small for ROCUs,” she said.

Criminal gangs were also exploiting weaknesses in intelligence sharing by operating across police force boundaries the committee heard.

Impact on farmers

NFU vice-president Robyn Munt warned that rural crime was affecting farm businesses and families, with some farmers afraid to let their children play outside because of intimidation.

Machinery theft could also disrupt time-sensitive operations, including livestock vaccination and crop establishment.

“This isn’t just their businesses this is also their homes,” she told MPs.

Ms Munt said frequent changes in rural policing personnel made it difficult for farmers to build relationships with officers, while inadequate responses discouraged reporting.

“Ultimately, farmers need to see results because that then builds their confidence to continue to contribute to that conversation and that reporting piece,” she said.

Dr Tudor stressed that officers needed specialist knowledge and training to deal effectively with rural crime.

“They also need to be competent, and by competent I mean have the requisite skills relating specifically to rural crime,” she said.

Hidden scale

The committee heard that police did not consistently record rural crime, making its true scale difficult to establish.

NFU Mutual estimated rural crime cost £41.5m in 2025, although Dr Kreseda Smith, associate professor at Harper Adams University, said insurance claims represented only part of the problem.

“It is really the tip of the iceberg in terms of what we know about rural crime,” she said.

Police reform concerns

Dr Tudor warned that government plans to create fewer, larger police forces risked diverting resources away from rural communities towards areas with greater demand.

However, reform could also improve rural policing if specialist capabilities were incorporated into the new arrangements.

“We cannot overlook the rural voice in these reforms,” Dr Smith urged.