Leicestershire’s Rural Policing Team Bolstered

The team dedicated to rural policing in Leicestershire and Rutland is being bolstered by an additional five officers.

The initial team of three was launched last year in a bid to put more emphasis on tackling crime in the countryside.

During that time numerous arrests have been made and stolen machinery worth hundreds of thousands of pounds has been recovered.

One of the new officers is based at Market Harborough Police Station.

Harriet Ranson, National Farmers’ Union county adviser for Leicestershire, Northamptonshire & Rutland has welcomed the move:

Rural Crime Team: (l-r PC Rob Cross, PC Riannon Simpson, PC Mike Statt, Sgt Paul Archer, Insp Claire Hughes, T/ACC Adam Streets, PC Chris Vickers, PC Matt Houghton, PC Lauren De Wet, PC Kelly Tones and PC Emma-Louise Holmes (top right) )

All eight officers in the team have a background in farming and a determination to tackle those issues which affect our rural and farming communities – including machinery theft, rural, wildlife and heritage crime.

They are supported by the force’s 18 wildlife officers, heritage watch volunteers and those neighbourhood officers on rural beats.

Police and Crime Commissioner Rupert Matthews declared tackling Rural and Heritage Crime a key priority in his Police and Crime Plan and spoke to HFM: