The £2.1m cost of rising thefts to rural communities

RURAL communities in Somerset are facing a sharp rise in thefts, with losses estimated at over £2.1 million last year - a 168.7 per cent increase, according to new figures.

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The surge has prompted MP Rachel Gilmour to renew calls for a major overhaul of rural policing.

The statistics, published by NFU Mutual in their 2025 rural crime report, show Somerset experienced the largest increase in theft-related claims across the South West. The Tiverton and Minehead MP described the figures as “deeply concerning but not surprising” pointing to repeated complaints from constituents about rising rural and coastal crime.