“You will see us again soon”: Rural crime days of action carried out by Surrey Police

More than 80 vehicles were stopped, and five arrests made last week, as part of an intensive two days of action combating rural crime across Surrey.

Across Friday 6 and Saturday 7 September, Surrey Police joined forces with partner agencies to tackle persistent rural crime issues across the county, including vehicle and plant machinery theft, poaching, road safety for horse riders, and fly tipping.

On Friday, officers from the Rural Crime Team, Roads Policing Unit, and Safer Neighbourhood Team set up a multi-agency vehicle checkpoint in Addlestone targeting vehicle and plant machinery theft, waste carriers, and fly tipping. Working with the HMRC Mobile Enforcement Team, Environment Agency, and Runnymede Borough Council over 33 vehicles were stopped and five vehicles seized. Three people were also processed for potential waste disposal offences by the Environment Agency or Runnymede Borough Council.

On Friday night more than 20 officers carried out proactive poaching patrols on and off road in Mole Valley and Waverley, including the use of drones across more remote rural communities. This intensive, targeted approach led to four men being stopped with dogs and lamps in fields in Shere, and a poaching investigation is now underway.

Two people were also arrested for drink driving and their vehicles seized, and a man was charged and remanded for supply of class A drugs.

On Saturday, the Rural Crime Team joined forces with the Environment Agency’s fisheries enforcement officers and the Angling Trust to patrol a stretch of the River Mole known for poaching and antisocial behaviour and carry out rod licence checks.  

Finally, close pass operations were carried out in partnership with the British Horse Society (BHS) on roads in Normandy and Great Bookham, close to Parwood and Great Bookham Equestrian Centres. These are designed to assess the reactions of motorists to horse riders on the road and advise where driver behaviour is dangerous or careless to the horse and rider. There were 21 close passes across the two days who all had an opportunity to have a short education session from the BHS rather than potential prosecution. Two motorists were also arrested during the close pass operation for drug driving.

Chief Inspector Chris Tinney, Surrey Police rural crime lead, said,

“This is the most significant rural crime day of action led by Surrey Police to date, and we are already planning the next.

“The good results we’ve seen only came to our attention because officers and partners were conducting this proactive work and would not have been reported to police otherwise.

“The stops, arrests, and community engagement carried out over just two days of targeted work demonstrates exactly what can be achieved when we work collaboratively across the force and with external partner agencies. I want to thank our partners for their time and expertise and hope to see us working together again soon.

“We know that rural crime is often under-reported, and that the rural community have felt underserved by the police in the past. My hope is that this targeted day of action sends a message to this community that Surrey Police is dedicated to tackling rural crime across our county.

“Having high volumes of police officers concentrated specifically on our rural communities during the day of action provided a high visibility deterrent to those seeking to victimise our rural communities.”

Over two days we carried out the following across Surrey:

• 80+ vehicles stopped
• 33 vehicles checked by HMRC for unlawful fuel/red diesel
• 20 rod licence checks carried out
• Seven vehicles seized
• Two arrests for drink driving
• Two arrests for drug driving (cannabis)
• One man charged and remanded for supply of class A drugs (cocaine)
• One poaching investigation launched after four men were stopped with dogs and lamps in Shere.

[Photo shows officers, staff, police volunteers, and the British Horse Society taking part in a close pass operation at Parwood Equestrian Centre in Normandy].