'You can't trust anyone': Shropshire farmer reveals devastating toll of rural crime

Andrew Morris, who has been running his family cattle farm near Oswestry for 25 years, said he has been the victim of machine theft numerous times, most recently leaving one of his pieces of equipment written off.

“It makes you angry,” said Mr Morris, talking about the impact such crimes have on him and his farm.

“You sort of think, ‘well, why?’ You have worked hard and you do this and you do that and then some bloody lunatics come and do all what they have done [steal - or attempt to steal - equipment].”

Mr Morris’ account of being hit by rural crime comes as the Shropshire Star launches its Rural Crime Awareness Month this November.

As a news outlet that serves one of the most rural communities in the United Kingdom, we believe that raising awareness of rural crime, and highlighting its impacts on the public - and our readers - is key as we head towards the end of 2026.

According to the National Farmers Union (NFU) Mutual Annual Rural Crime Report 2026, which was published earlier this year, rural crime cost the country £41.5 million last year.

In the same report, the NFU Mutual said that rural crime cost the Midlands alone around £6.4 million in 2025.

Both these figures, however, were down from their 2024 equivalents. Rural crime’s cost to the country fell by six per cent in 2025 from 2024, and its cost to the Midlands dropped by 21 per cent in the same period.

Despite these numbers, those at the heart of rural Shropshire have told us that rural crime is still something that heavily impacts the lives of our farmers, businesses and people on a daily basis.

In recent weeks, we have been speaking to - and receiving backing from - key players across the county, from MPs to farming leaders, victims and the police.

As November unfolds, a series of features about the plight of rural crime - such as how Mr Morris has been affected - will appear within the pages of the newspaper, and on our website.

Following his experiences of being targeted, Mr Morris explained how rural crime only adds to the pressures of running a farm in 2026.

“Well, it is all the extra work, the extra cost,” the farmer said, detailing the physical and financial toll on farms hit by criminals.

For many farmers, there is an added fear of being targeted like Mr Morris - because they often live in such remote locations, far away from major settlements in many instances.

This isolation, compounded by the fact that farms are not just business, but family homes, can lead to some people in the industry feeling defenceless.

Asked if his experiences made him feel more vulnerable, Mr Morris instead explained how the events have made him become more alert to potential dangers.

He said: "You are just more vigilant - you are not trusting anyone that is about. You are sort of going, ‘who is he?’”

The north Shropshire farmer now has safeguards in place to attempt to stop criminals carrying out similar attempts on his property to those he has seen already.

For example, he currently still keeps his tractors locked up on the farm, and he has cameras at the site to monitor what occurs near the property.

When Mr Morris took over the farm 25 years ago, such precautions would never have been thought of as necessary, he explained.

“You did not think about it, did you? You did not really used to lock the house years ago,” Mr Morris said.

Asked what he thinks has changed most during his time at the helm of the business, he spoke about how he believes it is a tougher industry to be in thanks to factors like rural crime - but not limited to it.

Talking about whether his experience of rural crime has made things more stressful, he said: “I do not suffer from stress sort of thing, you just get on with life and carry on.

“I know [with] some people it might make them more worried about going outside and all that, but I just wish I had got up and gone out and seen who it was and done something.”

In a message to fellow farmers, Mr Morris urged people to keep their equipment and machinery locked up at all times.

However, he was adamant that no matter the scenario, you cannot let the crimes impact your daily life.

“Do not let it affect you too much,” he said. “Because at the end of day, if somebody wants something, they will take it no matter how much it is locked up.”

The farmer added: “It is a piece of machinery at the end of the day, it is not a life. Keep yourself safe.”

Finally, Mr Morris said that despite his understanding of the tough job facing police officers rurally, he believes more needs to be done to tackle rural crime.

In response to Mr Morris’ final thought, a spokesperson for West Mercia Police said: “In Shropshire, we have a dedicated Rural and Business Crime Team that works closely with Safer Neighbourhood Teams, partner agencies and rural communities to prevent, disrupt and investigate crime affecting those who live and work in our countryside.

“Specialist rural crime training to all new police officers to ensure they are equipped to recognise and respond to the challenges faced in rural areas. Working alongside residents, farmers and businesses to share information, raise awareness and help keep communities safe.

“We would continue to encourage anyone who witnesses or suspects rural crime to report it to us. Every report helps build our intelligence, which is vital in helping us identify patterns of offending and target our resources effectively.”