Stuart Anderson MP backs rural crime plan
Stuart Anderson MP has backed the Conservative Party's Plan to tackle rural crime including tool theft. It follows recent reports that farmers are 'afraid to go out at night' due to the prospect of rural crime.
Tool theft and farm theft has sadly surged in recent years, costing businesses £44 million in 2024. On average, tool theft was reported every 21 minutes in 2024.
While this has fallen in recent years, Stuart has said that the problem continues to blight rural communities like South Shropshire. Earlier in the year, the government announced a summer blitz on town centre crime. The Safer Streets Summer Initiative, which ran in over 500 town centres including Ludlow and Bridgnorth, ended in September. While Stuart welcomed the initiative, he urged Ministers to reinstate the Safer Streets Fund which invested more than £150 million in over 400 crime prevention projects between 2021 and 2024.
In correspondence with Stuart, Home Office Ministers have ruled this out. They have instead revealed a 'Winter of Action', which will see the police work with local communities to clamp down on shop theft and street crime. However, South Shropshire has not been included in the list of locations. In a letter to Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood MP, Stuart has said that longer term action is needed to make a real difference in rural communities.
Stuart has said that the Safer Streets Fund should be reinstated with a focus on rural crime as many police forces continue to lack basic equipment such as torches, drone kits, and cameras that is needed to tackle it. Independent evaluations have shown that these interventions have boosted trust in local policing, making communities feel safer and restoring people's pride in the places in which they live. Stuart has also said that a rural uplift should be included in national funding allocations to recognise the extra challenges of policing rural areas.
Stuart has backed measures in the Conservative Party's Plan to clamp down on rural crime. This includes the creation of more rural crime taskforces across the country to protect farmers facing rising crime levels. This would make available a dedicated share of officers from that 10,000 extra that the Conservative Party has already committed to recruiting, backed by a £800 million investment. Based on local need, a proportion of new recruits would be allocated specifically to rural crime - ensuring that forces have the right officers in the right places.
The Conservatives would also order a crackdown on "secondary markets" where stolen goods are sold - particularly carboot sales in which high-grade tools and agricultural equipment is sold. The Conservatives would also add penalty points to the driving licence of those convicted of fly-tipping and littering from vehicles.
Additionally, guidelines would be reformed so that the theft of tool and high value farming equipment is treated as an "aggravating factor" when it comes to sentencing. Offenders would also face higher fines to fully compensate victims for the replacement or repair of stolen equipment, and any lost earnings. Any proceeds from the fine will go to the local police force.
Stuart's campaign follows his Shop Local Survey, which found that many residents would like to see tangible improvements to the atmosphere of our local high streets.
Under the previous government, the number of police officers rose to 149,769 – the highest number of since comparable records began in the year ending March 2003. This has now fallen to 146,442 officers.
Stuart Anderson MP said: "Through my Shop Local Survey, residents shared with me the importance of improving the atmosphere of our high streets and boosting public safety. Given this situation, I am deeply disappointed that South Shropshire is not included in the government's Winter of Action on town centre crime and anti-social behaviour.
"Long-term support is needed to make a real difference in rural communities and to tackle tool theft, which has sadly surged in recent years. Under this government, police numbers have fallen and recruitment is stalling too.
"I am proud to support the Conservative Party's Plan to call time on rural crime and protect our farmers facing rising crime levels. This includes launching rural crime taskforces in communities across the country and increasing penalties on the criminals who steal from those who build and feed our nation. We also would make a dedicated share of ten thousand new recruits available to rural communities."
