North Yorkshire Police officers stopped suspected poachers in Knaresborough in the early hours of this morning.

The force was contacted by members of the Rural Watch scheme at 11.15pm last night. They suspected poaching was taking place in a Subaru Forester on land at Arkendale, near Knaresborough.

Poachers normally travel in groups with dogs, using 4×4 vehicles. They typically hunt brown hare or deer.

The Subaru became stuck in the mud before making its way across farmers’ fields and onto the roads.

Officers stopped the vehicle and found two male occupants inside. They also noticed a large amount of blood.

After letting the men go, the suspects became stuck for a second time in the evening and the vehicle was seized. Enquiries are ongoing.

Inspector Clive Turner, of North Yorkshire Police’s rural taskforce, said:

“Our officers, some of whom have farming backgrounds, know the terrible impact poaching can have on rural communities.

“Farmers and landowners are often intimidated or even threatened with violence if they challenge offenders, leaving them feeling vulnerable to further crimes, particularly in isolated areas.

“On average, we’re called to more than 50 incidents of suspected poaching in North Yorkshire every month. Incidents tend to increase significantly from August onwards, during and after harvest time.”

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The cost of rural crime in North Yorkshire is the third highest among counties in the UK.

A report released by NFU Mutual found that in 2019, rural crime cost the county over £2 million. A rise of 22.6% on the previous year.

The report names theft of high value farm machinery as a factor for the cost increase. It also found that over lockdown, rural crime had continued – with some criminals travelling into the county to target farms.

Inspector Matt Hagen, head of North Yorkshire Police’s Rural Taskforce, said:

“Our county is a largely rural area, and the borough of Harrogate is no exception – so tackling rural crime is extremely important to us. We know that offenders from areas outside North Yorkshire travel into our communities, intent on stealing quad bikes, farm machinery and other valuable property – and those crimes are reflected in the latest figures from NFU Mutual. The report also shows that criminals continued to target the countryside, despite the Covid-19 lockdown.

“Rural crime did not stop – and neither did rural policing. Our officers, some of whom have farming backgrounds, know just how devastating rural crime can be for its victims.”

Rural areas in the county have continued to be targeted over lockdown.

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Rural crimes including livestock attacks and machinery theft have been seen within the Harrogate district. North Yorkshire Police has urged farmers to remain vigilant and increase safety measures within their farms.

In an attempt to combat rural crime the police works alongside 142 rural watch volunteers. They act as the eyes and ears within the rural communities.