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The South West is a wonderful part of the country to be in; there’s the beautiful countryside, the fresh air and the low crime rates. But it’s an undeniable fact that rural crime is on the rise, big time.

The cost of crime in the countryside

The cost of rural crime is huge to those working in farming, with expensive outdoor equipment and vehicles, but to entire communities too:

• The cost of rural crime to the UK rose by a whopping 12.1% to £49.9 million last year. 

• In the South West alone the cost was £5.8 million.

• The nature of rural crime has changed, with organised criminal gangs replacing the lone criminals from years gone by.

What are the authorities doing to combat rural crime?

Devon and Cornwall Police’s Rural Crime Team are at the sharp end of eradicating rural crime and increase community safety; their goal is to raise awareness of suspicious activity and identify trends and crime hotspots by encouraging people to report what they see.

Rural communities now fight criminals on a number of fronts, from equipment and vehicle thefts to cybercrime. Domestic burglaries of sheds and homes are also thought to be increasing. But with our police forces facing huge funding cuts across the board, what can we do to avoid becoming another statistic?

Secure your stuff

In their Rural Crime Report for 2019, NFU Mutual have stated that good security is crucial to making life for rural thieves as difficult as possible. Here are a few key tips they give to avoid domestic burglary:

• Never leave keys in locks and always close and bolt windows when you’re out

• Keep fences in good condition

• Use timers or smart lighting to give the impression someone is home when you’re out at night

• Consider an alarm, CCTV and signs to deter thieves

If some of their recommendations seem a bit extreme for your home, why not consider secure storage with us here at M-Store? We’re absolutely focused on security! Our site has:

• CCTV cameras across our whole site

• A 24 hour alarm system

• A high perimeter fence

• A high-tech security pass system

• Individual alarms for each unit

To find out more about us, including our convenient location just off the A30 near St Austell and huge number of flexible, secure storage solutions, give us a call on 01726 890880 and we’ll be happy to answer any questions you have.