THE Police and Crime Commissioner for Gwent has discussed the impact of rural crime on farmers.

Jeff Cuthbert attended the meeting on Wednesday, August 17, with members of the National Farmers Union (NFU) Cymru, where he learned about the landowners’ frustrations.

Among those presented to the commissioner were illegal off-roading, vandalism to property and boundaries as well as fly-tipping.

Members also added their concerns with reporting of crime, particularly in instances where the farmers’ land spreads over two police force boundaries.

Mr Cuthbert, who thanked the NFU Cymru for arranging the meeting, said: “It gave me the opportunity to stress that we regard rural crime, including crimes on farms, as very important.

“I’m also grateful for the comments and observations of the local farmers about how crime is impacting upon their businesses.

“I urged the farmers to make sure that they always report incidents in a timely manner and to let us know if they’re not satisfied with the response. This meeting was a good example of local engagement,” he said.

Mr Cuthbert was joined at the meeting by Allan Mills, who works in the rural police office for the Gwent force.

Monmouthshire’s NFU Cymru county chair, Gary Yeomans, said “We are grateful to the Police and Crime Commissioner for meeting with us at the beginning of his elected term as it is vital that the police understand the extent of rural crime and the implications that it has on businesses.

“We would be happy to work together with the police to raise more awareness of rural crime.”