Rural Crime Action Week 2025

This week (8th to 12th September) 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 (RCA's) 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.

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 South Warwickshire 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.

Councillor Natalie Gist, Portfolio Holder for Law and Governance at Stratford-on-Avon District Council, said: "I am very proud of the work of the Rural Crime Advisors. As a resident of one of the more rural areas of the District, it is very important to me that all of our residents feel the benefit of the community safety work taking place; rural communities often feel forgotten. 

"Our Rural Crime Advisors help residents from all over the District gain access to help and advice in preventing rural crime where they would not easily do so otherwise.  Residents should feel free to get in touch with the team if they would like further advice or support."

Philip Seccombe, Police and Crime Commissioner for Warwickshire, said: "Rural areas face unique challenges, which require strong partnership working to strengthen our response. The Rural Crime Advisors in Stratford-on-Avon is of great value to residents and are roles which I am proud to support.

"I often hear first-hand of their valuable contributions to the local area from residents. Their hard work makes a real difference for our rural communities, as they support the collaborative efforts of making Warwickshire a safer place for all."  

Some highlights of the work that's been done in the past year by the Rural Crime team include:

• 18 events have been held, and 413 one to one individuals have been engaged with at events 
• 8 toolbox events were held over the last year, which shows a 33% increase from the previous year
• Rural crime advisors have visited 19 locations to discuss Operation Recall and explain the potential danger a dog can pose to livestock 
• 32 equipment loans have been provided in the last year. This represents a 68.4% increase compared to the previous year.