Rural crime rises - A need for vigilance

IT can be difficult to convey the sense of isolation, especially on a dark night, that can fall over a remote rural home or farmyard.

This is especially so since so many garda stations have been either closed or open only on a part-time basis. Resurgent emigration adds to the feeling of isolation too. Whole swathes of the countryside have little or no garda presence, at least not the kind that deters criminals.

This is reflected in a surge in all sorts of rural crime, everything from fly tipping, to cattle rustling, the theft of tools and farm machinery, tractors, quad bikes and even fuel and vintage farm machinery are becoming more common as unemployment soars.

Yesterday the Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers’ Association (ICSA) and the gardaí launched a joint campaign to try to reassure rural communities that they have not been forgotten and that by working together they can confront this menace. As ever vigilance and co-operation are the best response to these threats.