Rural Crime
Protecting Rural Businesses Through Intelligence, Prevention and Partnership
Rural crime is no longer limited to isolated thefts or opportunistic offending. Today's criminals are often organised, mobile and highly targeted, exploiting the unique challenges faced by farm shops, farms and rural businesses.
From shoplifting and fraud to machinery theft, organised retail crime, livestock theft and burglary, these offences have a significant financial and emotional impact on businesses and the communities they serve.
Project Scarecrow exists to help businesses stay one step ahead through intelligence sharing, prevention and collaboration.
The Reality of Rural Crime
The rural economy contributes billions of pounds to the UK each year, yet rural businesses are increasingly being targeted by organised criminal groups.
Recent research commissioned by NFU Mutual highlights the growing challenge facing farm shops and rural retailers:
- 9 in 10 rural retailers reported experiencing crime during the previous 12 months.
- Businesses affected reported average losses of more than £83,000.
- Nearly 1 in 4 victims experienced repeat offending, suffering six or more incidents in a single year.
- Many incidents involved organised theft, repeat offenders, staff abuse and commercial burglary rather than isolated opportunistic crime.
Alongside retail crime, NFU Mutual's Rural Crime Report estimated that rural crime cost the UK £44.1 million in 2024. Although this represented an improvement on the previous year, organised criminality continues to pose a significant threat to farming and rural communities.
Farm Shops Are Increasingly Being Targeted
Farm shops have become attractive targets because they often combine:
High-value food and alcohol products
Cash handling
Seasonal increases in customer numbers
Rural locations with limited natural surveillance
Smaller staffing levels
Expensive specialist products
Criminals frequently target multiple rural businesses across different counties, making intelligence sharing and partnership working essential to identifying patterns and preventing repeat offending.
Common Types of Rural Crime
Project Scarecrow supports businesses affected by:
Shoplifting and organised retail crime
Business burglary
Agricultural machinery theft
Fuel theft
Livestock theft
Fraud and cyber-enabled crime
Violence and abuse towards staff
Criminal damage
Fly-tipping
Hare coursing and wildlife crime
Internal theft and employee dishonesty
Our Approach
Project Scarecrow believes prevention starts with knowledge.
By bringing together businesses, investigators, policing partners and industry experts, we help members:
Share intelligence securely
Identify emerging crime trends
Recognise repeat offenders
Improve crime prevention
Support investigations
Build stronger partnerships
Strengthen business resilience
Every piece of information shared helps create a clearer intelligence picture that can protect businesses across the wider rural community.
You're Not Alone
Rural businesses should never feel isolated when dealing with crime.
Whether you've experienced theft, suspicious activity or organised criminal behaviour, Project Scarecrow provides access to professional intelligence, investigative support and a trusted network committed to protecting the rural economy.
Together, we can reduce opportunities for crime, support those affected and create safer communities for everyone.
Together We Protect Rural Britain
Share Intelligence
Prevent Crime
Support Rural Communities
If you're a farm shop, farming business or rural enterprise and would like to become part of the Farm Retail & Rural Intelligence Network, we'd love to hear from you.