Dorset Police's Rural Crime Team was out across the county in a bid to crack down on rural crime. 

The regional rural crime 'week of action', saw officers from Dorset, Wiltshire, Hampshire, Gloucester, Avon & Somerset and Devon & Cornwall take part in a number of targeted operations and high-visibility patrols, aimed at disrupting and preventing criminal activity in the south-west.

The increased presence resulted in outcomes including a person being arrested for drug driving and five fixed penalty notices issued for driving offences.

Throughout the week, the Dorset Police Rural Crime Team visited previous victims of crime and distributed ‘SelectaDNA’ kits to prevent theft of agricultural equipment.

The team also used the engagement van to provide a police presence in rural communities, gave a talk as part of a livestock-worrying event in Dorchester, and worked with partners to tackle issues such as fly-tipping, scrap metal theft and illegal waste carriers.

Inspector Chrissie Plumley of the Dorset Police Rural Crime Team said: “The aim of the regional week of action is to work closely with neighbouring forces, to share intelligence and tackle all types of rural crime and the offenders committing them.

“Along with several arrests and multiple charges, the team have engaged with community members and stakeholders, visited local victims of theft, and delivered crime prevention advice in many rural locations."

Efforts from partnership working led to:

  • 1 x arrest for drug driving
  • 5 x fixed penalty notice for driving offences
  • 2 x persons were reported for excess load
  • 3 x stop searches
  • 1 x ticket for no MOT
  • 8 x waste carrier licences checked 
  • 2 x tickets issued for using mobile phones whilst driving


As part of the week of action, the team spent the evening of Tuesday, May 21 carrying out intelligence-led anti-poaching and anti-hare coursing patrols, with support from the Roads Policing Unit and the Drones Team.

Working together, the team identified a stolen van which was operating on cloned registration plates in Spetisbury, resulting in an arrest.

During the evening, the team also responded to reports of suspected poaching in the East Morden area. One vehicle was stopped, and three people were searched after fields in the area had been driven through and gates had suffered substantial damage.

Officers also intercepted a second vehicle believed to be linked to the report of poaching. The occupants of the vehicle fled the scene on foot; the vehicle has since been confirmed as stolen and the incident remains under investigation.

Inspector Chrissie Plumley added: “Rural crime is something we tackle consistently throughout the year, and I am incredibly proud of the work the team have done as part of the regional week of action.

“We want people living in rural areas of Dorset to know that we are committed to doing everything we can to protect them, and I hope that the team’s efforts are reassuring to rural communities that we are listening to them, and that action is being taken to reduce and prevent crime.”

Dorset Police and Crime Commissioner, David Sidwick said: “I am pleased to see Dorset Police taking part in this Regional Rural Crime Week of Action. Dorset is a proudly rural county, and from the moment I came into office I have been working hard to improve things for those agricultural and other isolated communities who have in the past felt overlooked by policing.

"The property marking, patrols and targeted operations that have taken place this week are just part of the list of operations and resources those living in rural Dorset are now benefiting from. Not only are our rural residents starting to see the benefits of having a strengthened rural crime team with who have benefitted from a significant increase in resources, they are starting to see the work of the Dorset Partnership Against Rural Crime which I established in 2022, and the Country Watch website, which has been a one-stop shop for rural communities over the past 18 months. 

"All in all, we are working smarter and harder to improve the service to our rural residents and communities, and I look forward to making more and more progress in my second term as PCC.”