Understanding rural crime

Rural crime continues to place financial and operational pressure on farmers and landowners across the country, with theft of machinery, tools, fuel and livestock remaining a persistent challenge. Despite its impact, there is still limited research into how farmers decide which prevention measures to use.

A new project by Dr Kreseda Smith, Rural Criminologist at Harper Adams University, aims to change this by building a clearer picture of what drives on-farm crime prevention decisions. “A one-size-fits-all approach simply doesn’t work in such a diverse industry,” she explains.

Dr Smith is inviting farmers and contractors across England and Wales to take part in a short, confidential interview, in person or via Microsoft Teams, to discuss their experiences of rural crime and what influences the measures they choose to protect their businesses. Insights gathered will help develop more practical guidance for the sector.

Those interested can email to arrange an interview and receive the necessary consent forms: theruralcriminologist@harper-adams.ac.uk