Spotlight on rural crime after blazes in Northumberland
Sep 7 2010 by Alastair Craig, The Journal
MALICIOUS arson attacks on farms in Northumberland have heightened the sense of isolation and fear, rural communities warned last night.
As Northumbria Police vow to increase patrols in remote areas of the county, farmers and some politicians are demanding the fires become a springboard to greater urgency in tackling rural crime. Last week, three businesses were devastated in separate incidents at Causey Park Farm, near Morpeth, a mile away at Chevington Moor Farm, and Mousen Farm at Belford.
In all three incidents, barns and more than 3,000 hay bales intended for animal feed were destroyed, and the damage bill is now estimated at more than £250,000. A 49-year-old Alnwick man arrested on Thursday night on suspicion of arson in connection with the blazes has been bailed pending further enquiries.
Chief Inspector Mick Todd, head of the county’s neighbourhood policing teams, has moved to reassure communities they are not being forgotten in the fight against criminal activity.
But one farmer and county councillor, Richard Dodd, last night broke ranks to warn of a current “crime epidemic” hitting vulnerable landowners, and told The Journal police officers in rural areas remained “like blue moons”.
Coun Dodd, who farms at Ogle Hill, near Belsay and is a former regional director of the Countryside Alliance, said the recent arson spree had brought farmers’ frustrations to a head.
“I’ve been warning of the underestimation of rural crime for years,” he said. “This is an expanding area for criminals coming to Northumberland to take advantage of its remoteness.
“I would go as far as to describe that problem as an epidemic. All farmers are feeling vulnerable.
“More worryingly, there are the criminal gangs who travel into the area and have the audacity to come to your door for whatever reason, have a look around, then come back.
“While all this is going on, there is little reassurance the police are close by if you need them or will even be able to catch anyone if you give them information.”
Coun Dodd said figures released regularly by the Northumberland FarmWatch scheme show at least one crime per day at farms and smallholdings across the county’s 2,019 square miles. He added: “Last week’s fires have show that all someone needs is a 20 pence box of matches to send family businesses down the tubes. I’m about to install a security system because I can see things getting worse before they get better.”
Glen Sanderson, a county councillor and farmer from Eshott, close to the Chevington and Causey Park arson attacks, said that landowners in the area were now on ‘high alert’, adding: “These incidents are potentially catastrophic, not just financially but for the lives of livestock and people.”
Conservative MP for Hexham, Guy Opperman, last night defended the Northumbria force, insisting officers were making strides in this area of policing.
“Only last month I was out on the beat with police in Hexham and the surrounding rural area and they are doing tremendous work,” he said. “FarmWatch is a great success. Of course police can do more, but per capita we are doing very well in the number of crimes to crimes solved.”
