THE cost of rural crime in Hampshire plummeted by 30 per cent last year, according to new figures.

Statistics from the National Farmers Union’s (NFU) rural crime report has shown that it cost the county’s economy £710,000 last year, compared with £1m during the same period in 2015.

Nationally, the cost of rural crime fell by 4.3 per cent from £41m to £39.2m, while eight counties experienced a rise, including Essex (44.2 per cent) and Worcestershire (28.8 per cent).

Patrick Govier, NFU’s mutual agent for Hampshire, said: “Although the figures for rural crime in Hampshire are down, countryside criminals continue to become more brazen, and farmers are now having to continually increase security and adopt new ways of protecting their equipment.

“In some parts of the county, farmers are having to turn their farmyards into fortresses to protect themselves from repeated thieves who are targeting quadbikes, tractors and power tools.

“They are using tracking devices on tractors, video and infra-red surveillance in their farm yards and even DNA markers to protect sheep from rustlers.”

According to the insurer, the most frequently stolen items were all-terrain vehicles, quadbikes and garden tools.

Earlier this year Hampshire County Council’s countryside service agreed to provide extra eyes and ears to support police in rural areas.

Councillor Andrew Gibson, executive member for culture, recreation and countryside, said: “Hampshire is a predominantly rural county, and supporting rural communities is a priority.

“Locally-based teams have good knowledge of the areas they look after and are in a good position to notice any changes or suspicious activity when out performing their duties.”