Rural crime cost Gloucestershire £1.6m in 2016, up a staggering 38% from £1.2m in 2015.

The figures form part of NFU Mutual's annual Rural Crime Report, revealing that despite the UK seeing a 4% drop last year, the cost of rural theft has risen sharply in the first half of 2017.

According to NFU Mutual's 2017 Rural Crime Report, early theft claims statistics for the first half of this year show a sharp rise of over 20% nationally, raising concerns that a new wave of rural crime is hitting the countryside.

The items most commonly targeted by thieves across Gloucestershire over the last 12 months were ATV (all terrain vehicles) and quad bikes, tools and oil and diesel.

Richard Carter, NFU Mutual agent in Cheltenham, said: "Rural crime in Gloucestershire has risen dramatically during the last 12 months, as countryside criminals are becoming more brazen and farmers are now having to continually increase security and adopt new ways of protecting their equipment.

"In some parts of the county, farmers are having to turn their farmyards into fortresses to protect themselves from repeated thieves who are targeting quads, tractors and power tools.

"They are using tracking devices on tractors, video and infra-red surveillance in their farm yards and even DNA markers to protect sheep from rustlers."

The report reveals that being 'staked out' is the biggest worry for country people, followed closely by longer police response times in rural areas.

One farmer who has been targeted by criminals this year is Simon Harrison, who farms at Broad Campden in the North Cotswolds.

In April, Mr Harrison had a Polaris buggy stolen which was his means of getting about to check his sheep.

He estimated between 20 and 30 such vehicles had been stolen from the North Cotswolds countryside in a short space of time.

Mr Harrison added: "We are under siege up here."

Gloucestershire Constabulary says it has has a number of dedicated officers and members of staff working on rural crime.

A spokesperson said: "There are a number of specialist Rural and Environmental Crime Officers (RECLOs) across the force who understand the issues facing rural communities.

"They run regular operations in the Forest of Dean and Cotswold areas to deal with problems such as poaching and theft of farm machinery.

"Rural crime covers a wide range including fly tipping, livestock theft, fuel theft as well as wildlife crime."

For more information and advice on how to beat rural crime in your area download the report at

www.nfumutual.co.uk/ruralcrime