About the Thames Valley Police Rural Crime Taskforce
The Thames Valley Rural Crime Taskforce is an important part of the Rural Crime Partnership. It is a dedicated team focused on tackling all types of rural crime. This includes wildlife, heritage and environmental crimes and crimes targeted at agricultural and farming communities.
Over the last two years the Rural Crime Taskforce has recovered over 5 million pounds of stolen plant/farm machinery and assets from rural offenders.
The taskforce aims is to create a hostile environment for those who commit rural crime across the Thames Valley. They have increased the number of offenders being brought to justice and driven down rural crime across the force. They support national and regional operations focused on Rural Crime.
The Taskforce works in partnership with South East Regional Police Forces and work in unison with the likes of the Environment Agency, Joint Unit for Waste Crime and National Rural Crime Team. Their work has already been recognised at a national level, winning the Rob Oliver Award for the most proactive Rural Crime Team in the country in its first year.
Working with the National Farmers Union (NFU) and Country Land and Business Association (CLA) they have made sure that the voices of the rural community are heard and acted on, using overt and covert operations focused on rural crime offenders.
What Sort of Crime Does the Rural Crime Taskforce Deal With?
Rural crime tends to fall into one of the following categories:
- Agricultural - theft or damage to property (including fuel) or livestock on working farms or their small holdings.
- Equine - theft or damage to buildings or equipment at working stables or equestrian centres, as well as livestock worrying or neglect.
- Wildlife - hare coursing, poaching or interfering with protected species. There is a dedicated page on the Thames Valley Police website for wildlife crime which you can access here.
- Heritage - heritage crimes are defined as 'any offence which harms the value of Britain's heritage assets and their settings to this and future generations'. Offences include theft, arson and other types of damage, illegal metal detecting and trespass.
- Environmental - waste dumping, fly tipping, polluting watercourses and land.
Reporting a Crime
In an emergency - If you would like to report a crime in an emergency: please call 999, If a crime is happening now or someone is in immediate danger. (If you have a hearing or speech impairment, use Textphone service 18000 or text 999 if you’ve pre-registered with the Emergency SMS).
For a Non-Emergency: please call 101 or click on the button below to report a crime via the Thames Valley Police Rural Crime Taskforce website.
Rural Crime Strategy
In December 2023 Thames Valley Police launched its 3 year Rural Crime Strategy.
Follow the Taskforce on Facebook
Did you know the Rural Crime Taskforce has its own Facebook page?
To follow the taskforce on Facebook click the button below.
Want to Know More?
Click on the button below to visit Thames Valley Police's dedicated webpages for the Rural Crime Taskforce.