A NEW scheme has been launched in Pembrokeshire to help protect farmers against rural crime.

Although crime levels are low in rural Pembrokeshire, Farm Watch has been created to help prevent the theft of livestock, machinery and equipment. It will also address the growing problem of fly-tipping and illegal off-roading too.

The officer leading the scheme, PC Gerwyn Davies, sees Farm Watch as a partnership between the farming community and police, by creating a network of farmers to report suspicious activity.

“Farm Watch will encourage vigilance and communication, not only between individual farms but also with the police,’’ he said.

“It will reduce opportunities for crime to occur and strengthen community spirit so that everyone works together to protect their property. Hopefully by working together in this way we can prevent these rural crimes from happening.’’

Some agricultural thefts are planned with criminals ‘checking-out’ their intended target but others as opportunistic.

PC Nigel Lewis, of St David’s Police Station, said these are exactly the type of crimes that Farm Watch can help prevent. “Crime is low in the rural area of Pembrokeshire but opportunistic crimes do occur, when offenders visiting an area pretend to want to buy scrap metal and then take advantage when they find vulnerable or unoccupied premises,’’ he explained.

Farmers can help police fight this crime, added PC Lewis. “Police will do everything we can to help and one of the most vital things the farming community can do is to help us build up an intelligence picture of who is behaving suspiciously around farms.’’

Also involved in the initiative is the crime fighting company, Smartwater, which has developed an innovative liquid forensic coding solution which can be used to protect farmyard equipment.

Farm Watch is free to join and will allow farmers to receive crime prevention advice and provide access to other partnership agencies. “The scheme will also allow the police to receive valuable feedback, so we can improve the scheme where necessary to ensure Pembrokeshire remains one of the safest places in England and Wales,’’ said PC Lewis.

Farmers can join Farm Watch by calling 101 and leaving their details for PC Gerwyn Davies or by emailing him at gerwyn.davies@dyfed-powys.pnn.police.uk

Farm Watch is a partnership between the police in Pembrokeshire and the Farmers’ Union of Wales, NFU Cymru, Farming Connect and local councillors.