Drink & Drug driving

Drink and drug driving, please report this can be called in anonymously crime stoppers

Rural Agricultural crime

Rural Agricultural crime, the theft of high tech farming equipment, often taken at night. Report movement of farm machinery in the night or at unusual times. ask for a vist from the local neighbourhood team if you would like some security advice for your property or equipment.

Anti-social driving

Anti social driving in and around rural Holsworthy and the town centre. If you witness any please contact us with the following details: registration, make, model and colour where possible, if video evidence is available please let us know as this is evidence that enables us to deal with them by way of section 59. Dash cam footage can be sent directly to [email protected] 

#TakeTheLead - Livestock Attack Campaign

Between 27th March and 2nd April, Torrington Police will be supporting the Force and National Campaign to help raise awareness of the impact of livestock worrying.

During 2023 D&C Police received 140 reports of attacks on livestock resulting in hundreds of sheep deaths.  Nationally this is estimated to cost £2.4 million (up 30% from 2022).

Our Rural Affairs Team and Local Neighbourhood officers will be out in support of this nationwide initiative.

If you witness an attack on livestock, please do not intervene but call 999. 

Information is not currently being passed to police and the public are encouraged to do so by 999 in an emergency, or by ringing 101 to pass on information regarding such crimes.  Anonymous information can also be passed by ringing Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or online.

'Cannabis Grows' - Community Partnership Campaign

Devon and Cornwall Police have begun an intelligence gathering campaign aimed at Cannabis Cultivation.  We seek your help.

What is Cannabis Cultivation?

'Cannabis cultivation’ refers to the practice and process of producing cannabis. Cannabis farms/grows are properties which are used to grow cannabis on a large-scale and often contain hundreds of plants. The properties are usually fitted with specialist equipment, such as high-intensity lights and fans, as well as a lot of electrical re-wiring, all of which poses a big fire/explosions risk. They can be found in residential properties, vacant commercial buildings, industrial units and warehouses, derelict buildings, and rural buildings and barns.
Many of these cannabis farms are run by organised criminal groups who will exploit vulnerable people, often victims of human trafficking or modern slavery, to cultivate the crop. These victims do not benefit from the crimes they are forced to commit. They are coerced and forced into living and working on cannabis farms, trapped in properties for weeks or even months on end, with little or no facilities.
Devon and Cornwall Police ask all persons in the community to look at the list below, and report if you see it, hear it or are told about it. Take action by dialling 101 (or 999 if you believe there is a crime in action) or alerting police who may be on patrol nearby.
Please also report it to us using the Community Partnership Intel form
Things to look out for are:
? A distinctive smell of cannabis in the surrounding area (strong, sickly smell which is different to the smell of cannabis being smoked)
? Frequent visitors at all times of the day and night
? Blacked out windows but possibly chinks of bright light throughout the night
? Foil at windows
? Birds gathering on the roof, especially during periods of cold weather
? High levels of condensation/mould on the windows and/or in neighbouring buildings
? Constant buzz or fans/ventilation system
? Signs an electricity metre has been tampered with
? Low level fires that are extinguished and unreported
? Persons that look to be carrying out "road works" wearing luminous tabards but with no official branding
? Vans parked outside with signs of loading or unloading of equipment
? Bin bags full of vegetable material being thrown away (the stalks and roots of cannabis plants are discarded when the plants are harvested)
? Additional signs that could suggest that a grow house is present in a property include excessive security on the building, such as padlocks, grilles, CCTV, cameras, portcullises, and bars on windows
We are also interested in:
? Large vacant buildings (such as disused nightclubs or shops)
Please fill in the Community Partnership Intel form ( Community partnership intelligence | Devon & Cornwall Police (devon-cornwall.police.uk)and make reports, with as much detail as possible including, times, descriptions, locations, and vehicle registration details. Please let us know if there is any CCTV coverage, too.

You can also tell us about the above behaviours anonymously through Crimestoppers 0800 555 111

Is there a crime taking place right now? If so, please call 999. Call 101 for non-emergency enquiries

National Rural Crime Action Week

This year's National Rural Crime Action Week will be conducted between 18th and 24th September 2023.  

Devon and Cornwall Police will be participating in this campaign and your local Neighbourhood Teams will be involved in community engagement and/or activities to raise awareness of agricultural and construction equipment theft, and also rural anti-social behaviour (ASB)

Our objectives are:

• Raise awareness of Rural ASB and Rural Crime by running activities with partners within the local rural communities, which will include engagement, prevention, and education.
• Deliver activity that is inclusive of the wider Neighbourhood Teams and Citizens in Policing Team(Volunteers and Specials)
• To develop and include communications support to publicise the activities across the week.

The Devon and Cornwall Police Rural Affairs Team will be running a series of activities throughout the week, which will focus of the National Priorities.

https://www.nwcu.police.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/NPCC-Wildlife-Rural-Crime-Strategy-2022-2025.pdf

Devon and Cornwall Police Rural Affairs Team: - Equipment Theft - YouTube

Equine Crime

Equine related activity is widespread in many of our rural communities and attracts crime due to the high value of animals, equipment, and transport. Issues may include the theft of animals and equipment, machinery, and transport as well as attacks on horses by dogs, animal welfare concerns and road safety,

Thefts particularly those relating to equine transport can be linked to organised crime and some stolen equipment is taken outside of the UK for sale. Equine related crime has a significant financial and emotional impact on animal owners, landowners, and rural business.

There are numerous incidents of Equine related crime each year but fortunately very few animal thefts or animal welfare issues. Quantities of horse related transport are stolen from locations around the force each year. In 2022 there were 64 reports of Equine crime across the force area, these ranged from Trailer theft, equipment theft, livestock worrying and close pass/road safety issues.

Our aim to reduce Equine crime includes the sharing of intelligence and best practice within the police service to target offenders, promote wide scale use of security devices and work with stakeholder and partners to encourage business and individuals to improve security.

Torridge Local Policing Teams will focus on this theme, in particular, this month, supported by the Rural Affairs Team.  Livestock markets, farms and agricultural businesses will be visited to raise awareness and pass on necessary crime prevention advice.

Please let us know if you see anything that doesn't seem right.

Our updated web site is now available to seek advice, report or find out what is happening throughout The Force Area.

https://www.devon-cornwall.police.uk/

Agricultural Machinery, Plant and Vehicle Theft - (make it #TooHotToHandle)

The theft of agricultural machinery, plant and vehicles costs the UK millions of pounds each year and in some cases the stolen vehicles are used to commit further offences. Thefts are often linked to organised crime and some stolen equipment is taken outside of the UK for sale. Thefts have a significant impact on farming and construction businesses and adversely affects wellbeing for individuals such as farmers who rely on their equipment. Hundreds of pieces of equipment are stolen from locations around the force each year. They often are from farms, woodlands and domestic rural locations as well as building sites, and range from sit-on mowers and quad bikes up to very large plant and construction machinery. In the last year the force recorded 58 allegations of quad bike theft alone.
Our aim to reduce agricultural machinery, plant and vehicle theft includes the sharing of intelligence and best practice within the police service to target offenders, promote wide scale use of security devices and work with stakeholder and partners to encourage business and individuals to improve security.

Torrington Police will be supporting this theme alongside the Rural Affairs Team.  There will be an increase in our teams stopping agricultural vehicles, in particular trailers.

County Lines

County lines is the name given to drug dealing where organised criminal groups (OCGs) use phone lines to move and supply drugs, usually from cities into smaller towns and rural areas.

They exploit vulnerable people, including children and those with mental health or addiction issues, by recruiting them to distribute the drugs. This is often referred to as ‘drug running’. Criminals may also use a vulnerable person’s home as their base of operations. 

For further information please see our website:

https://www.devon-cornwall.police.uk/advice/advice-and-information/cl/county-lines/

Update: 22 May 2024 - County lines still an issue!

We still would like people to tell us information of any suspicious activity witnessed that could be linked with drugs.

Safeguarding

Safeguarding of both young people and adults is a matter for all.

We would ask anyone who has any concerns regarding a safeguarding matter to report this to the relevant agency, including ourselves if appropriate. 

Members of the public can contact other agencies directly, such as social care, mental health teams, homeless charities, food banks etc