In the run up the new year the Cumbria Police Rural Crime Team are highlighting the work they have done over the last year.
In 2024, the team have been working hard to engage with our communities and tackle rural crime, this has most significantly seen quadbike thefts reduced by 44% per cent, with over 30 less victims having their quadbikes stolen.
Sergeant Amanda McKirdy from the Rural Crime Team said “The team have been involved in a variety of jobs over the past 12 months.
“Ranging from locating stolen farm machinery, caravans and vehicles.
“As part of this work we have crossed borders to make arrests and worked in partnership with a range of organisations to bring offenders to justice.
“Our mission stays the same as we enter into 2025 – to continue to target those who enter our county to commit crimes and protecting our local communities
“We continue to ask our communities to support our efforts by reporting incidents to us.”
Operation Lantern is the constabulary’s dedicated operation to target rural crime within Cumbria. The operation aims to prevent and disrupt serious and organised rural acquisitive crime that occurs in our county.
The operation sees officers from multiple departments working together such as officers from Neighbourhood Policing, Roads Policing Unit, CID, Dog Section and more work together to tackle the issue.
This work has meant we have made multiple arrests in connection to rural crime with many leading to conviction, below are an example of some of the teams’ successes:
- Jamie Cliff, 30, of Melrose Drive, St Helen Auckland was sentenced on 26 September 2024 after he pleaded guilty to two police assaults and driving whilst disqualified. He received an eight-month custodial sentence and was further disqualified from driving for 48 months.
- Michael Broomfield, 38, of Cheviot Walk, Coundon, Bishop Auckland was sentenced on 18 October for burglary and was sentenced to 6 months in prison.
- Thomas Price, 60, of Redway Road, Cardiff with Theft and breach of a Criminal Behaviour Order. He was sentenced to two years two months.
We have also secured the following with the RSPCA.
- Reece Robertson, 26, Cook Road, Millom on 29 April 2024 was sentenced at South Cumbria Magistrates’ Court, having pleaded guilty to four offences under the Animal Welfare Act 2006. Robertson was banned from keeping animals for ten years, given a 12-month community order which requires him to complete 200 hours of unpaid work.
- Peter Bewsher, 35, of Greendykes, Egremont, was in court on 6 November 2024 following a warrant conducted in 2024 after three dogs were rescued by the RSPCA as part of an investigation into wildlife offences. He was given a suspended sentence and disqualified from keeping dogs.
Cumbria’s Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner, David Allen, said: “Cumbria is an incredibly rural county so it’s vital that we have dedicated resources to combat rural crime and provide safety advice to businesses and residents.
“A 44% drop in quad bike thefts is no small feat and highlights just how dedicated the Rural Crime Team – and all Police – are to combatting crime and keeping the county safe.
“Well done to the team and I look forward to seeing what they achieve in 2025.”
You can find advice here - Rural crime prevention | Cumbria Police on things you can do to protect your property.
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