Cost of rural crime in county bucked national trend with 40% rise in 2024

THE cost of rural crime in Devon rose 40.5% to an estimated £911,000 as the countryside continues to tackle organised and serious crime, new figures from NFU Mutual reveal.

- BY STAFF REPORTER

Published last month, the report revealed that rural crime cost the UK an estimated £44.1 million in 2024, down from £52.8m the previous year.

Figures fluctuated across counties in the South West, which saw a reduction in the overall cost by 4% to an estimated £6.7m.

The total claims cost for agricultural vehicle thefts reported to the UK's leading rural insurer fell 35% to an estimated £7m last year, with global positioning system (GPS) units experiencing the largest cost decline, down 71% to £1.2m following their spike in 2023.

Quad bikes and all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) remained top targets for thieves, despite declining 16% to an estimated £2.7m.