Rural crime cost the South West £6.1m in 2015, up from £5.9m in 2014 – despite remaining broadly static at a national level.

The figures form part of NFU Mutual’s annual Rural Crime Report, revealing that the cost of rural crime to the UK economy has now reached £42.5 million a year.

According to the rural insurer, the items most commonly targeted by thieves across the South West over the last 12 months were tools from farms and businesses, quad bikes (ATVs) and garden equipment. The South West also saw the second largest increase in the cost of livestock thefts, rising by 69%.