Rural Crime Action Week 2024

This week (21^st to 27^th of October) is National Rural Crime Action Week and Stratford-on-Avon District Council is taking this opportunity to raise awareness of the work being done to tackle rural crime and the support available in South Warwickshire.

The District Council's Rural Crime Advisors are proactive in providing advice and preventive services for those living in rural communities. Their aim is to engage with rural communities and provide bespoke advice and solutions to victims of crime.

Within South Warwickshire the two Rural Crime Advisors (RCAs) in the District Council's Community Safety Team, carry out dedicated work with individuals, businesses and communities to reduce the impact of crime in rural areas.

The posts are jointly funded by the District Council and the Warwickshire Police and Crime Commissioner. The Rural Crime Advisors work alongside the Warwickshire Police Rural Crime Team, local policing teams and other partner agencies, including the Community Safety Partnership.

If you have a farm or rural business and have been a victim of crime or are concerned that you may become a victim of crime, the RCAs can visit your property and discuss any improvements that might be made to help enhance your security.

If you feel that your community could benefit from wider crime prevention, the Rural Crime Advisors can run a 'Community Crime Prevention Toolbox' event in your village. The toolboxes contain a variety of crime prevention equipment such as: window alarms, shed alarms, can hides, personal alarms, property marking kits, switch timers, faraday pouches, TV simulators, along with plenty of crime prevention information leaflets and Warwickshire Connected z cards / Safe in Warwickshire cards. Attendees are encouraged to chat with the RCAs whilst there, then the box is left with a local custodian who can champion and share the equipment according to the needs of the villagers, such as loaning particular items, running their own property marking event. If you are interested in being a custodian of a crime prevention box in your community, please fill out the online enquiry form below.

In addition to the above, one of the RCA's current projects aims to reduce the impact of vehicle crime on local trades people by identifying villages to target and providing free crime prevention equipment and advice on the doorstep.

Stratford-on-Avon District Council's Rural Crime Advisors have been recognised by Warwickshire Police for their ongoing contribution to reducing rural crime and in February this year were presented with a Neighbourhood Policing Award.

Councillor Natalie Gist, Portfolio Holder for Law and Governance said:

"Rural crime and the impacts on local residents and businesses as a result are substantial. Stratford District is a largely rural area, and we recognise that approaches to preventing crime must be tailored and we are really proud to continue building the work of the Rural Crime Advisors who are well established and trusted locally for the work they do. If you own a rural farm or business and would like advice, please contact us."

Philip Seccombe, Police and Crime Commissioner for Warwickshire, said: "I am proud to jointly fund the Rural Crime Advisors with Stratford-on-Avon District Council. I know from speaking with communities across Warwickshire that rural crime can leave a devastating impact.

"The role of these advisors provides much needed support to individuals and businesses and is key to helping prevent and reduce the impact of such crime.  I look forward to seeing them continue their great work.

For more information about the work being done or for support and advice on rural crime prevention, please visit the Rural Crime page here.