NFU counts the cost of rising rural crime
Figures released last week by the National Farmers Union (NFU) also showed that rural crime in the South East totalled an estimated £5.5m during 2011, with the UK-wide cost of ‘agri-crime’ up 6 per cent to an estimated £52.7m.
The NFU's survey has also revealed that last year's most stolen items in Berkshire were tools, quad bikes and oil/diesel.
However, the survey also showed that more rural land owners were installing high-tech equipment themselves in a bid to increase prevention.
A break-in at a Hungerford machinery store is the latest in a series of rural burglaries in the region.
The incident happened at Hungerford Garden Machinery's sales centre and workshops in Charnham Lane.
Thousands of pounds worth of equipment was taken just after 3am last Wednesday, August 8.
The gang carried off a large quantity of motor and electric-powered tools from the centre which specialises in hedgecutters, chain saws and ride-on mowers.
In addition, this week a tractor grass cutter was taken from a garage in Bulpit Lane, Hungerford.
Cobbs Farm Shop and kitchen has been the victim of about 10 break-ins in five years.
Tom Newey from the Hungerford business said that it was not just the cost of what was stolen but the man power and time it cost to put things right.
He said that burglars would cut fences and break down doors to get in as well as smash CCTV cameras.
Mr Newey said: "It doesn't surprise me that figures are going up - it's a very hard thing for the police to control.
"People (burglars) realise they have a certain amount of time before the police get there. If they want to get in, they'll get in.
"It takes a lot of management time afterwards. It never stops."
Secretary for the NFU in West Berkshire, Gary Pope, said that in the past tractors were the big thing to be stolen but now it seemed that tools, quad bikes and oil/diesel where the big ones for thieves to get their hands on in most parts of the country, not just locally.
He said that these items were attractive to thieves as they were easy to sell on, there was a market for them and oil/diesel could not be traced.
He said: "Quad bikes have been universally very popular; there's a ready market for them because a lot of them are not registered.
"There's also the need to apply security; 20-years-ago I could have walked into a farm - you cannot do that now.
"Even if it's insured you can't always get the kit you need quickly.
"It's the hassle factor."
Farmer, Ken Neal of Bunkers Farm in Newbury, who had a trailer stolen last year, said that he was not surprised that rural crime had gone up.
He said: "Theft is going on all around us because the price of metal is increasing.
"It's the inconvenience; I'm insured but my insurance cost doubled last year.
"That had an impact.
"If you claim and everybody else is claiming, the insurance rates go up."
He added: "Farmers are concerned, everything is bolted down and farmers don't leave things in fields any more.
"When you are spending an extra £400 on insurance because you had something stolen, it's worth spending £1,500 extra (on a lock) to make sure it doesn't happen again."
