Rural crime in Moray: Be a grass – shop a crook
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
Crimestoppers are appealing for more people to phone them anonymously as rural communities continue to suffer at the hands of criminal gangs.
Despite receiving 2700 calls about rural crime in Scotland last year, the charity still believes the issue is under-reported.
It is therefore stressing that all the information it receives is made anonymous to ensure the person giving the details cannot be identified.
Only then is it passed on to the police.
Here's are some recent examples of the anonymous calls Crimestoppers has received:
- A (named) man is using aggressive dogs to carry out illegal hunting of deer and game including rabbits. He goes hunting across the fields at a named location.
- Local tradesmen at (address given) are burying asbestos in a field. They are also dumping and burning rubbish.
- (Named) men all involved in the theft of plant machinery from building sites and farms. They have stolen diggers, caterpillars, bobcats and tractors that do not have trackers on. For many years they have been selling them across Europe.
Angela Parker, Crimestoppers' Scotland manager, said: "Every day we hear from people who are in the know.
"Your information can help make all the difference.
"Working together, we can help protect our precious countryside and rural environment from the harm caused by these criminal gangs."
Simple and anonymous online forms can be filled in at Crimestoppers-uk.org
Note that computer IP addresses are never traced.
Alternatively call 0800 555 111.
There is no caller line display, no 1471 facility and the charity has never traced a call.
The 0800 555 111 number is free and is manned 365 days of the year.
Around 10 people are arrested and charged every day across the UK as a result of information given to Crimestoppers.
Since the charity began in 1988, it has received over 2.2million actionable calls.
These have resulted in the recovery of over £139million worth of stolen goods and the seizure of more than £367million worth of illegal drugs.
