Wiltshire Police has increased patrols across the county following a spike in hare-running crime, with officers warning that local crime is increasing pressure on rural areas.
According to police statistics, hare tracking and poaching crimes increased by 21.8% between September 2024 and August 2025. Enforcement efforts have also been stepped up, with 30 people arrested since January, a 500% increase from the previous year.
Seven offenders have already been convicted and fined a total of £2,892 under the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act, and a further four cases are awaiting prosecution.
Officers are working with farmers and rural residents to raise awareness of the issue and deter criminal activity. Earlier this week, police worked with local farmers and media to highlight the scale of the problem and encourage the community to report suspicious activity.
Farmers described repeated encroachments on their land and the damage it caused both to their finances and welfare. One farmer in the Pusey Vale area said his farm had been targeted about 10 times in the last month.
“The impact on farms is the cost of crop destruction and additional safety measures,” he said, adding that thousands of pounds had been spent on fencing, CCTV and lighting. “Every night I go out and drive around the farm,” he said, explaining the anxiety this is causing in his household.
He urged the public to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity. “If you see lights on in a field at night and it’s a tractor, especially if you see someone speeding or getting out of a 4×4 with a dog in tow, call your local farmer or call the police,” he says.
Another farmer said that after hearing a noise late at night, he witnessed two cars driving down a dead-end road, and shortly afterwards saw powerful lights turned on in a nearby field.
Wiltshire Police said it was targeting organized gangs involved in rabbit chasing, poaching, farm equipment theft and fly tipping through Operation Ragwart, which brings together neighborhood police, local specialist teams and intelligence units, to target organized gangs involved in rabbit chasing, poaching, farm equipment theft and fly tipping. The force said tackling rural crime remained difficult due to the speed of criminal activity and the mobility of criminals.
Inspector Andy Lemon, tactical lead for rural crime, said: “We are mobilizing neighborhood police, drones, CID and armed units to attack criminals at every stage. This sends a clear message that rural crime is treated with the seriousness it deserves and we will not tolerate intrusions into the countryside.”
He added that police alone cannot tackle this problem. “Residents should report any suspicious activity online to 101 immediately, or in an emergency by dialing 999,” he said, explaining that timely information would help police gather intelligence and target criminals.
Operation Ragwort was set up by five police and crime commissioners in the South West after concerns were raised about local crime and policing. Philip Wilkinson, Police and Crime Commissioner for Wiltshire and Swindon, who leads rural crime in the region, said working closely with local communities was key.
“The fact that we have people coming with us from rural areas not only reassures them of the work being done to protect them from very real threats, but also allows us to leverage their local knowledge,” he said.
Wiltshire Police said high-visibility patrols, community engagement and enforcement operations will continue in the affected areas over the coming months as officers work to clamp down on criminals and reassure rural communities.
