Cash reward offered following rural crime wave in parts of NI
A new cash reward to tackle rural crime across some parts of Northern Ireland has been launched today (Friday, June 26).
The independent charity, Crimestoppers, is offering a reward of £3,500 for information given directly to the charity "that results in the arrest and conviction of those responsible".
According to Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) Inspector Brian St Ledger, Crimestoppers is completely independent of the police and the reward is paid directly by the charity.
"They guarantee that everyone who contacts them stays 100% anonymous - your details will never be shared with police," Inspector St Ledger said.
He emphasised today the theft of valuable agri-equipment and tools from independent workmen and rural businesses can "seriously affect the lives and livelihoods of people in rural communities".
Inspector St Ledger added: "We hope this cash reward will encourage those with information about recent thefts of tools, quads and other items from agricultural and rural properties and communities to tell Crimestoppers what they know, and that that information will in turn help us identify the criminals responsible.
"This reward will be offered for a period of three months until September 26 and I would urge anyone with knowledge about these rural crimes to please get in touch with the charity by calling their 24/7 Contact Centre on 0800 555 111 or by visiting their website Crimestoppers-uk.org".
According to the PSNI there has been a spate of rural thefts particularly across the policing districts of Mid Ulster, Fermanagh and Omagh, Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon and Newry, Mourne and Down recently.
Rural thefts
Latest figures from NFU Mutual show rural crime cost Northern Ireland in the region of £2.2 million last year.
This represented a year on year increase of 24%.
The Ulster Farmers’ Union (UFU) has called for stronger intervention from the Department of Justice to combat escalating rural crime.
The UFU has warned that the financial impact of rural crime "is immediate and severe" and it is placing already stretched farm enterprises under further strain.
