A former senior detective has said that the police are failing rural communities after officers failed to visit the scene of a crime where thieves stole more than £25,000 of motorbikes and tools before defecating outside the property they raided.

Mike Rees’s strong words are in response to a break-in at Mathew Hicks’s workshop last week.

The rural business owner was left astonished that despite security camera footage, items being left at the scene of the crime, and the burglars even defecating outside, no one had visited him to take a statement or gather evidence.

Mr Rees, a former detective inspector, said that when he worked for Melksham CID he used to insist that officers attended crime scenes, whether there had been a rape, violent attack, or a high-value burglary, and that he was appalled by the poor police service.

“I am appalled by the lack of response from the police,” retired crime investigator Mike said.

“It seems like the offenders are even mocking the force as it appears that they may be posting the stash to social media.”

Mathew Hicks, whose motorbike repair business in Lower Seagry was targeted by thieves last Friday said that he could not believe that officers had not visited him, or even returned his calls.

“I’ve got CCTV footage of the thieves first casing the workshop and then paying two further visits in just one night - they’re brazen” Mathew said.

“I’ve told the police that they’ve left scraps of fabric from ripped clothing, a poo in the hedge outside and I’ve even spotted the bikes for sale on social media - but the police told me that because no one was hurt they’re not coming out.

“I know that they’re stretched but you’d think that they would show some interest!”

Three bikes were stolen during the raid which total around £10,000 in value, as well as tools and diagnostic equipment that Mathew has collected over decades of work, leaving him counting the cost of the crime with little hope of the thieves being caught or the items returned.

“Of course we’re insured but right now I can’t do anything, all of my tools are gone,” the frustrated business owner said.

“I’ve phoned the police three times with no response and the thieves are laughing about it on social media. I despair.”

And retired policeman Mike Rees, who feels that he needs to speak up for the community, says that this is not the only crime that he believes is not being investigated.

“This is just the latest serious crime I have seen people the victim of in the Malmesbury area where police have not attended the scene, I have to speak up,” Mike said.

“This is not a criticism of individual officers because I know what they are up against, but Wiltshire Police are letting the community down.

“This case absolutely should have had police attendance and the family should have been reassured and supported. This is a traumatic event for them.

“Rural communities are being let down and I don’t always accept insufficient resources as an excuse.”

But a spokesperson from Wiltshire Police said that they have dedicated teams to help isolated communities, and officers would have decided whether to attend the scene using a ‘scoring matrix’.

“We can confirm we have received a report of a workshop in the garden of a property in Lower Seagry being broken into last week, and three off road motorbikes believed to be worth £7,500 have been stolen. Since the initial report, we have been made aware of CCTV footage relating to the incident and it has assigned to an officer to fully investigate,” they said.

“We have a dedicated rural crime team that deals with the specific crimes that affect our most isolated communities.

“Each crime reported to us is scored using a matrix looking at the threat, harm and risk it poses - if this score is lower than another incident we will prioritise that.”

Police officers also confirmed that a unit in Kington Langley was broken into sometime between December 20 and January 5 and a number of car parts were stolen.

Additionally they received a report of a break in at a container in a yard Edgecorner Lane, Chippenham, around the same time.

Anyone who witnessed any suspicious activity in the area overnight between 10 and 11 January to call 101 and quote crime reference number 54190003274.