The Police and Crime Commissioner has vowed to crack down on organised crime gangs.
Donna Jones made the promise for Hampshire and the Isle of Wight as part of National Rural Crime Action Week.
The week-long campaign, which runs from October 21 to October 25, brings focus to the collaborative efforts needed from the area's authorities, the police, and rural communities to combat rural crime.
Ms Jones said: "There is an immediate and growing threat from organised crime gangs.
"These groups are not opportunistic thieves.
"They perform meticulous supply and demand operations, stealing items to order such as quad bikes or plant machinery and shipping them overseas.
"These criminals are serious, organised, and international."
Apart from theft, rural crime also encompasses black market gambling, hare coursing, poaching, fly-tipping, and the theft of livestock and agricultural machinery.
These activities have a significant impact on farmers and landowners.
According to the National Farmers’ Union, rural crime cost the UK £52.8 million in 2023, a 4.3 per cent increase from the previous year.
It also includes a steep 137 per cent rise in GPS thefts.
The Police and Crime Commissioner’s dedication to addressing rural crime involves a £1 million investment to enhance intelligence capability, provide area cars in rural areas, and assign named local bobbies for every rural community.
Ms Jones said: "I’ve also invested in the most effective technology available to police forces across England and Wales with cutting-edge drones to track offenders, and mobile Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras that the police can move around in rural areas.
"This means Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary can provide an agile and robust response covering thousands of square miles and can monitor cross border activity to stay one step ahead of the gangs."
The Police and Crime Commissioner’s new police and crime plan will also focus on further safeguarding rural communities with a commitment to increasing the number of police officers in rural areas.
Ms Jones added: "As Commissioner, I am committed to supporting rural communities to feel safer, be safer, and be more connected to their police force."
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