Farmers counting the cost as rural crime up 30% in Shropshire

Tools, horse boxes and garden equipment are top of the list of stolen goods in the region, leaving businesses and householders more than £750,000 out of pocket.

New figures released today by the insurance arm of the National Farmers Union show that rural crime in the county rose by 28 per cent in 2015 with farm tools and equestrian goods the items most targeted at business premises, while 4x4 cars and gardening gear were targeted from homes in the countryside.

NFU Mutual senior agent for Shropshire Mark Brothwood said: "Rural thieves are becoming increasingly sophisticated.

"Farmers and police have been working hard to adopt high-tech security measures to tackle the problems which now include cloning tractor identities, advertising non-existent machinery in agricultural publications and stealing the GPS computer systems which are a key part of modern farming.

"However, it is disappointing to see levels of rural crime rising in Shropshire."

The annual rural crime report said 65 per cent of NFU agents surveyed nationally found that thieves were becoming more sophisticated and that cyber crime was also a growing concern in their communities.

It also revealed that social media is now the main resource for sharing information about criminal activity, prevention strategies, and is used to catch criminals and return stolen goods to the rightful owners.

Farmers are forking out thousands of pounds to update security measures in a bid to stay ahead of high-tech criminals.

Tracking devices are being fitted to tractors, closed circuit television is being installed in farm yards and DNA markers are being used to protect sheep from rustlers.

Former Shropshire eventing rider Sarah Martin-Pearce said: "People are much more security conscious about horse boxes these days as they have become desirable things to steal. At the same time they are resigned to the fact that if it is going to be stolen, it will be stolen regardless of whether wheel locks and other devices are fitted. Boxes have even been stolen from behind locked gates."

Rural crime rose by 10 per cent across the Midlands region.

Overall rural crime cost the UK £42.5m last year.

The worst affected areas were the north east of England and the eastern counties.