A FARMER has called for more support from police, after figures revealed the cost of rural crime in the county rose by 38 per cent last year.

Rural insurer NFU Mutual’s annual Rural Crime Report, published on Monday, revealed rural crime in Gloucestershire cost £1.6million in 2016 - the fourth highest in the UK.

This was a rise of £443,286 from 2015, with only Kent seeing a bigger increase.

Dom Morris, 36, said about £40,000 worth of equipment had been stolen from his farm near Fairford last year and he once caught a group of thieves in the act.

“After a ‘frank’ exchange I got the truck back, but it was quite an ordeal. Rural crime is a constant concern for Cotswold farmers. Our family has suffered several thefts.

“Most farmers have had something stolen. We feel isolated and don’t see much sign of the police.”

He questioned what the constabulary were doing about rural crime and called on Police and Crime Commissioner Martin Surl to make the issue a priority.

Richard Carter, of NFU Mutual Gloucestershire, said rural crime had risen so dramatically because “criminals are becoming more brazen”.

“The threat of becoming a victim of rural crime and regular reports of suspicious characters watching farms is causing high levels of anxiety amongst farmers who know their rural location makes them vulnerable,” he said.

“Farmers are having to continually increase security and adopt new ways of protecting their equipment. Farmers are having to turn their farmyards into fortresses to protect themselves from thieves who are targeting quads, tractors and power tools.

“They are using tracking devices on tractors, video and infra-red surveillance in their farm yards and even DNA markers to protect sheep from rustlers.”

Gloucestershire Police said Rural and Environmental Crime Officers run regular operations in the Cotswolds and Forest of Dean to “deal with problems such as poaching and theft of farm machinery”.

Cotswold Police Sergeant Garrett Gloyn encouraged owners of rural properties to join the constabulary’s Rural Watch scheme.

“We encourage residents to consider the security of their property and contact us should they need advice,” he added.