Around 30 vehicles were stopped as part of a multi-agency operation on the border between Cambridgeshire and Lincolnshire targeting motorists on the A16.
Cambridgeshire’s Rural Crime Action Team (RCAT) and officers from Lincolnshire took part in Operation Chambers before the Easter break on the main route that connects the two counties.
Police and other enforcement teams seized six vehicles, including two that had been reported stolen, and a trailer for forensic examination while two guidance letters were sent by the Environment Agency (EA) regarding waste carrying.
Simon Gadd, South Lincolnshire NFU county chair, said: “Rural crime continues to be a huge issue for our members so it is important to see proactive work to look at all the issues that have an impact, be it on farm or in this case on the road.
“Fly tipping, equipment theft and many other issues remain a plague on farm businesses and rural communities and it remains important that routes in and out of the county are monitored by cross-border enforcement teams using automatic number plate recognition and other methods.
“All we want to do is to run our businesses and produce the nation’s food, without the threat of theft, property damage and the huge costs that all too often comes with rural crime so the latest round of enforcement through Operation Chambers is welcome.”
While Cambridgeshire NFU chair Alison Morris, a fifth-generation Fenland farmer, echoed his comments and said the NFU remained committed to pushing for measures to give the police and others additional powers.
She said: “Collaboration is key to tackling rural crimes effectively and we are working closely with police officers in and around the county, the police and crime commissioner and other stakeholders on this.
“The NFU has a good relationship with Cambridgeshire Constabulary and had a productive meeting just a few weeks ago with chief constable Nick Dean and superintendent Ben Martin.
“They want us to keep highlighting the issues our rural communities are facing on fly-tipping, hare coursing and other issues so we can get to grips with the problems being experienced in the county.
“We are also keen to see more cross border work to target those travelling between Cambridgeshire and Lincolnshire.”
During Operation Chambers other traffic offences were detected with the DVSA and local authority, on behalf of the EA, issuing fixed penalty notices including for load security and to waste carriers.
Eight prohibitions were also issued for overweight vehicles with other vehicles stopped for a variety of other offences.
Sergeant Tom Nuttall, from Cambridgeshire RCAT, said Operation Chambers was on-going and aimed to disrupt those committing rural crime by checking waste carriers, trailers, and agricultural equipment, and ensure vehicles were safe and roadworthy.
Enforcement agencies teams were spread around the area and intercepted vehicles, escorting them to Thorney Road South in Crowland, Lincolnshire, so checks could be carried out by the DVSA, DVLA, HMRC, Environment Agency, DataTag and the UK National Rural Crime Unit.
The NFU continues to speak with the police, crime commissioners and Government on behalf of its members and has welcomed the reaffirmation that the secondary legislation for the Equipment Theft (Prevention) Bill will be coming soon and is looking to see further announcements on progress of the Dogs (Protection of Livestock) (Amendment) Bill which aims to help prevent livestock worrying.
The NFU also awaits more detail on how local authorities will be empowered to deal with fly-tipping, which remains a significant and costly blight on the countryside in Cambridgeshire, Lincolnshire and beyond.