A farm in Edwinstowe targeted by several break-ins is set to benefit from free security upgrades as part of a rural crime-busting scheme funded by the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner.

Almost £100,000-worth of property has been stolen from King’s Stand Farm  in recent months, which has significantly impacted the running of the business.

Thieves got away with a Land Rover Defender, as well as four quadbikes, a motorbike and a large amount of oil.

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Farm owner Martin Robinson, who lives on the farm with his family, explained that the damage goes much deeper than the monetary value, having endured several sleepless nights worrying about further thefts taking place.

Speaking during National Rural Crime Action Week (18th-23rd, September), he said: “Rural crime is incredibly damaging. We’re talking tens of thousands of pounds worth of loss but it goes beyond that because it affects my ability to do business every day.

“Having the land assessed for new security measures is very reassuring for me and my family and means we can now rest easy when our days work is done.

“It will allow us to get back on our feet and move forward as a business without the worry of being broken into.”

Action is being taken after Nottinghamshire Police rural crime prevention officer David Elms visited the site to assess the areas most in need of extra safety measures.

David, who was appointed earlier this year, has since been evaluating the needs of rural crime victims and implementing a range of security measures to make it more difficult for criminals to reoffend.

The £200,000 project – funded by the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Nottinghamshire’s Safer4All fund – aims to help secure rural homes and businesses across the Bassetlaw and Newark and Sherwood districts, which include some of the biggest rural spaces in the county.

Nottinghamshire Police is delivering the initiative with support from partners at the two councils.

The funding builds on Police and Crime Commissioner Caroline Henry’s commitment to tackling rural crime as part of the Make Notts Safe policing plan, which has also seen investment allowing the force to purchase a two 4×4 rural crime vehicles, as well as thermal imaging goggles to help officers spot suspects in unlit rural areas at night-time.

Additional funding has also allowed officers across the force to undertake more training surrounding rural crime. This includes national rural crime training for beat officers, farm awareness and health and safety training and five new rural crime points of contact within the control room.

Call handlers and dispatchers are also given additional training by the National Farmers’ Union (NFU) to help them better understand and respond to the unique impact that rural crime can have when they assess the threat, risk and harm caused by the incident being reported.

There are now 48 police constables and PCSOs across the force who have access to this specialist equipment, resources, and training to increase awareness and ensure a better service for victims in their areas.

Surveys by the National Farmers’ Union have proved that all this extra resource is working and providing better reassurance. Farmers in Nottinghamshire are now 40% more likely to make a complaint if they are victims of crime, and that they feel much more comfortable in doing so.

Commissioner Henry said: “Rural crime is a huge issue which affects our most vulnerable and isolated communities in Nottinghamshire, and leaves lasting damage on its victims.

“Criminals targeting these locations may think that the only damage done is the cost of the things they are taking, but these are people’s livelihoods that are being tampered with.

“The appointment of David Elms and the funding to provide extra security measures to homes and buildings is designed to make our rural communities and the people living within them feel safer.”

Supt Claire Rukas, of Nottinghamshire Police, said: “We recognise the impact rural crime has on our communities, which is why the force works so closely with its partners to tackle this issue.

“We continue to engage with farmers, landowners, and rural communities to share crime prevention advice, provide reassurance, and increase awareness of issues.

“We also carry out a range of enforcement action, including ongoing and long-running operations, to protect our rural communities and tackle issues such as burglary, theft, illegal off-road biking, antisocial behaviour, speeding on rural roads, fly-tipping, and illegal hunting and poaching.

“The crime-fighting activity we are carrying out during National Rural Crime Action Week is just a snapshot of the work we are doing all year round to target and reduce rural crime and I want to reassure people that we will continue to use a mixture of engagement, education, and enforcement to drive down these types of crimes and ensure issues have as little impact as possible on our rural communities.”