‘Our farms are under siege from criminal gangs’

Organised crimes gangs including sheep rustlers and burglars are targeting farmers who have described “living in fear” of a new rural crime wave.

James Jackson said he had suffered repeated break-ins at his farm in Trawden, Lancashire, with burglars trying to steal quad bikes worth £12,000 as well as his sheep – which can fetch £200 each on the black market.

Other farmers have told the BBC about joyriders high on drugs driving off in their tractors and pigs being killed with crossbows.

One Lancashire Police officer described how organised crime gangs “scope out” farms before stealing from them while sheep have been “slaughtered” at the side of the road.

Trawden recently made headlines around the world for its kindness – thanks to its residents taking volunteering to the next level – but farmers on its outskirts have said there is a darker side to the area.

Mr Jackson said: “It’s a beautiful place but some farmers now live in fear of criminals.

“We know organised crime is behind it.

“We’ve had to increase security with CCTV cameras as we’ve had several attempted break-ins as they tried to get to the quad bikes.”

The 38-year-old continued: “They try and rip tiles off the sheds so they can see what’s inside.

“It’s worse in bad weather as they know they won’t be heard in the wind.

“There’s also quite a bit of sheep rustling. They can get £200 for them on the black market.

“Crime seems to be getting worse and the police don’t seem to be able to do much about it.”

Dairy farmer Stephanie Gregory, who keeps about 180 cows, has had three Land Rovers and two quad bikes stolen from her farm.

The 49-year-old said: “It’s pretty isolated up here and sometimes when you’re out in the dark, you do worry who’s watching you.

“We’ve had quite a bit stolen and one of our workers came across someone joyriding one of our tractors at night in a field.

“His eyes were glazed over like he was on drugs and he was going round in circles.

“Some pigs were also shot dead with crossbows on another farm but thankfully our animals have been kept safe.”

Walking his dog through the village, leisure centre lifeguard Leighton Wainman, 22, said: “There’s not much crime in the village itself as it’s pretty quiet.

“But I know there’s problems in the hills.

“We all heard about the farmer who got nicked. He’d had break-ins at his farm.”

Last October, a 52-year-old farmer in Trawden took the law into his own hands on his land, tying up two people he accused of trespassing.

He drove them four miles to Colne police station but was then arrested for false imprisonment and assault. The farmer was released and the case remains under investigation.

Mr Jackson said: “I think there might be more incidents of people taking the law into their own hands.”

Sgt Kevin Day, whose team patrols the area, said criminals from Burnley and Yorkshire have targeted farms to steal items including quad bikes and expensive machinery.

He said: “We know a lot of criminals are travelling into the area and scope out farms.

“A lot of these guys are using cloned vehicles and they know how to dress to look anonymous.

“It can be a challenge, but one we rise to every day. We have arrested people who have stolen quad bikes and farm machinery.

“Farmers do need to report crime as under-reporting is massive in the area.”

Sgt Day said the effects of sheep rustling were also “huge” for farmers.

The officer added: “Sheep can be taken for different reasons.

“Occasionally we have high numbers taken from a flock that might go into the illegal food market.

“We have had individual sheep slaughtered and butchered to a very high standard at the side of the road.”