DAY 83: Digging ditches on land boundaries is the favoured crime prevention measure to warn off poachers in Oxfordshire

According to farmers and landowners across the Vale of White Horse and South Oxfordshire, the most successful deterrent to hare coursing and poaching activity has been digging ditches on the boundaries of the fields favoured by poachers and hare coursers.

Field and land in the Ewelme Wallingford area has suffered repeated, extensive damage to crops as a result of being driven over by 4x4 vehicles overnight. Landowners and gamekeepers suspect this is related to people poaching deer.

Landowners have prevented poaches from gaining further access by blocking off gaps in hedges where signs of access can be seen.

If you have had similar problems, the Thames Valley Police farm security survey can be found on the website.

The security assessment has been put together by our crime prevention and reduction advisors and it contains low cost, practical advice around securing land and property.

Download our farm security assessment

If you see any suspicious activity or suspect poaching or hare coursing is happening on your land, report it via the 24 hour non emergency number 101 as soon as you see anything.

If you have information or intelligence you would like to share with Thames Valley Police, no matter how big or small, you can also email our rural crime intelligence desk at FIBruralcrime@thamesvalley.pnn.police.uk.

DAY 79: Two men charged with trespassing in Newbury

Thames Valley Police charged two people on Saturday (08/2) with entering land as a trespasser at night with poaching equipment.

Thomas Britzman, aged 19, of Avon Way, Newbury and a 16-year-old boy, were charged in relation to an incident of trespass at a field belonging to Newbury Showground on 27 January .

Both have been bailed to appear at Newbury Magistrates’ Court on 27 February.

DAY 76: Two men arrested under the hunting act in Hungerford

Two men have been arrested under the hunting act after being seen trespassing on private land and allegedly using dogs to kill a deer.

Officers were called at approximately 3.30pm yesterday (12/2), to reports men were trespassing in a field just off the B4000, Hungerford. Officers located the men and seized a vehicle and two dogs.

The two men, aged 33 and 23, both from Swansea, have been released on police bail until 24 March.

If you have any information which could help officers or any information or concerns about hunting or poaching, please call the 24-hour Thames Valley Police Enquiry Centre on 101.

If you don't want to speak directly to the police you can contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or online at crimestoppers-uk.org. No personal details are taken, information is not traced or recorded and you will not go to court.

DAY 67: Wildlife crime officer leads deer poaching operation as part of the national Project Trespass

Last night (22/1), the wildlife officer for Aylesbury, PC Dean Kingham, led a deer poaching operation using low light equipment.

The operation came after the England and Wales Poaching Priority Delivery Group launched a national campaign titled Project Trespass on the 1 October 2013.

 

Using low level lighting equipment during deer poaching operation

The aim of Project Trespass is to coordinate a response to poaching across England and Wales through:

Prevention: offering best advice to farmers, landowners, gamekeepers, shooting and land management organisations regarding measures to put in place to prevent poaching and disruption mechanisms

Intelligence: to allow the police to target offenders

Enforcement: with good intelligence the police can target poachers through the various rural and poaching based operations run throughout England and Wales

Reassurance: by working together and by publicising resulting actions such as activity, arrests, seizures and convictions.

(Above taken from the National Wildlife Crime Unit website)

Anyone who sees anything which might suggest hare coursing or poaching is happening in the area should report it to police via the 101 number or 999 if the crime is in progress.

Here is what you should look out for:

•  Groups of vehicles parked up in a rural area, perhaps to a gateway to farmland, bridle paths, farm tracks or grass verges.
• There will usually be estate cars, 4x4s or vans. They may have evidence of dogs inside like muddy paw prints or dog hairs.
•  Hare coursers often travel in convoy with transit vans at the front and rear and the cars in between
•  Lights or torches at night in wooded areas or across fields could be a sign of someone illegally hunting

 

Getting signed up to Thames Valley Alert

Earlier in the day, PSCOs continued to visit houses and farms in the Wing area to give out security information and sign residents up to the Thames Valley Alert messaging service.  They also went along to the Community Hub at Ivinghoe. In total 250 houses and 11 farms were visited in Wing and 72 people signed up to Alerts.

Windsor team arrest man for hunting offences during 100 days of action

On Tuesday evening (27/8), the team in Windsor responded to a call from a local farmer reporting people trespassing on his land with lamps and guns near Crimp Hill Road in Windsor.

Following a swift response from the officers, a group of young people were found carrying bags, air rifles and lamps. All were searched and one man was found to be in possession of a dead rabbit and was arrested for hunting act offences.

During the interview the 21 year-old man from Slough made admissions and was given a caution.

If you spot suspicious activity and think people may be hunting in your area, call 101 to report it or if the crime is in progress, call 999.