Cumbria - new campaign launched to help reduce rural crime

Cumbria is one of the most beautiful and safest counties in England to live and work, but there are criminals both within Cumbria and those who travel into the county who target both the farming community and those who live in rural areas.

We've launched a campaign targeting rural crime, asking members of the public to give us any information they may have about these crimes, safe in the knowlege that they will remain 100% anonymous - guaranteed.
 
Everyone has a part to play in helping to make Cumbria safer, and information passed onto us, as a charity, independent of the police, is key to reducing crime, protecting livestock, preventing and solving the theft of machinery, quad bikes and fuel, and keeping our countryside safe.
 
We're working in partnership with Cumbria Police and Crime Commissioner Peter McCall to inform those who live and work in rural areas about ways to protect their property, machinery and livestock, and also to highlight that Crimestoppers is a fast and simple way of reporting crime in our countryside, online here on our website or by phone on 0800 555 111.
 

If you have information on rural crime and want to remain anonymous, you can talk to us online or on the phone by calling 0800 555 111.

Last year, Crimestoppers in Cumbria saw a 16% increase in anonymous reports from the public, receiving nearly 2,000 reports; however, the amount of information received about rural crime was small. Our new campaign aims to encourage a higher degree of reporting of suspicious activity, which will make it harder for criminals to operate in our countryside, and allow the police to be proactive in their operations.
 

“Our charity knows how damaging crime in the countryside can be; to local communities, to rural businesses, to farmers, wildlife, and the local environment.

“Every day we hear from people who are in the know about those involved in damaging our beautiful countryside - but there is so much more we can do. By telling us anonymously what you know, whether you live in or are visiting rural areas, you can make a real difference.

“Simple things like making sure people lock their buildings, taking keys out of vehicles, installing cameras or tracking devices, and the reporting of suspicious individuals and vehicles - all these things help to improve life in our beautiful countryside.

“Working together, we can help protect our precious Cumbrian countryside and rural environment, communities and business from the harm caused by these criminal gangs.”

“Cumbria is a mainly rural county, with many local businesses relying on agricultural equipment and livestock to make a living.

“Rural crime is one of my key priorities as PCC, so I really would encourage anyone who lives and works in these more isolated communities to report anything suspicious to the police or Crimestoppers anonymously.

“Crimestoppers provides locals with the opportunity to provide key knowledge on crimes 100% anonymously – these reports are passed to the police to help build information on investigations; therefore, any reports are welcome.

“Together we can make Cumbria a safer place to live, work and visit.”

 

If you have information on rural crime and want to remain anonymous, you can talk to us online or on the phone by calling 0800 555 111.

Please note: computer IP addresses are never traced and no-one will ever know you contacted Crimestoppers. For telephone calls, there is no caller line display, no 1471 facility and the charity has never traced a call.