Cost of rural crime continues to fall in Northern Ireland

Friday, 5 August, 2022

• Rural theft cost Northern Ireland an estimated £1.7m last year, down 18.7% from 2020
• Farmers urged not to be complacent and to boost security as fuel and machinery as prices soar and cost of living crisis bites
• Farm vehicles remain a top target as quad bike, trailer and Land Rover Defender thefts continue to plague the countryside
• NFU Mutual supports NI farmers with security marking for quads and farm property

The cost of rural crime has continued to decrease in Northern Ireland following a sharp drop at the beginning of the pandemic.

As it publishes its 2022 Rural Crime Report today (August 2), leading rural insurer NFU Mutual reveals rural theft cost Northern Ireland an estimated £1.7m in 2021, down from £2.1m the previous year.
The decrease in Northern Ireland is greater than the UK average drop of 9.3% in 2021 and signs so far this year look like Northern Ireland is curbing countryside crime.

NFU Mutual claims indications suggest the first quarter of 2022 has seen thieves in England, Scotland and Wales making up for time lost over the pandemic, but in Northern Ireland the reduction in rural theft continued.
However, shipping delays and the effects of Covid and Brexit have contributed to low supply and a rise in demand for quad bikes. Knowing that thieves were keen to capitalise on growing waiting lists and soaring market values, NFU Mutual invested in a security marking scheme in Northern Ireland to mark 200 quads at risk of theft. In its role as a member of the Rural Crime Partnership, NFU Mutual also provided Selecta DNA security marking kits so that farmers could protect their belongings with forensic marking solution.

Ulster Farmers' Union deputy president William Irvine said: "It is positive to see that the cost of rural crime is decreasing in Northern Ireland, however, at the root of the crimes that did occur are farming families who have suffered financially and emotionally because of a criminal intrusion on their farm. Figures are lower, but farms are still being targeted by thefts and we cannot become complacent as they will be on the lookout for their next attack.

"With the cost of living crisis and the darker evenings approaching, I urge all farmers to remain vigilant. Lock away all farm machinery and vehicles, especially those of high value, and never leave a tractor or quad sitting unattended with the keys in the ignition. Record details of all farm machinery, take photographs and consider investing in tracking systems. Rural crime initiatives such as trailer marking and the freeze branding of livestock are there for farmers to avail of. We would like to thank NFU Mutual for investing in security marking of quads which are commonly targeted by thefts."

The full press release and report can be viewed here.