MODERN-day livestock rustling is the work of ruthless armed gangs, bringing terror to the countryside.

And while livestock rustling in Cumbria has fallen for the second year running in 2021, there are fears of a new wave of thefts as criminals become more active after the lifting of Covid restrictions and higher meat prices.

Animals worth £2.1million were stolen in 2021, a 5.5 percent fall on the previous year, new data from rural insurer NFU Mutual has revealed, with claims regularly involving more than 50 sheep taken in a single raid.

Branding the results ’encouraging’, Rebecca Davidson, rural affairs specialist at NFU Mutual, said: "Until recently it was very difficult to bring about prosecutions because of the difficulties detecting stolen animals and the likelihood that stolen sheep were usually sold for their meat.

“The fact that large-scale thefts are still taking place demonstrates there’s no room for complacency and we’re concerned that higher meat prices, combined with the squeeze on consumers, could lead to a new wave of livestock theft,” said Ms Davidson.

In the county, livestock rustling figures were described by Ms Davidson as 'even lower', with only three claims in 2021.

"Now we are seeing hi-tech security and marking systems, along with DNA testing, each making it more difficult for criminals to escape justice."

But she urged farmers not be complacent, with large-scale crime still taking place across the UK countryside

"While the latest figures are going in the right direction, livestock rustling remains one of the costliest crimes after machinery theft.

"It is a crime which attacks the roots of farming life and causes huge anxiety for farmers. It also causes suffering to stolen animals which are transported and slaughtered without concern for their welfare."

Amanda Wallbank of Appleby NFU said it was 'fantastic' news that sheep thefts had reduced again and it was even better that locally it was down even more.

She added that Country Watch Eden scheme was now seven-years-old, and it still continued to train Police Officers on local farms with officers from Eden and County Durham attending a session in November 2021.

"The Facebook page is well established, with page likes now at 3.2 thousand and posts regularly having over 2000 views. We also have a facebook group with 341 members," said Amanda.

She added: "During the 7 years we have also helped the call handlers on 101, giving them knowledge of what questions they should ask if a farmer calls in about missing sheep. These lists of questions are now used whenever a call comes in.

Cumberland & Westmorland Gazette: BURGLARY: Police are investigating a farm robbery at Maulds MaeburnBURGLARY: Police are investigating a farm robbery at Maulds Maeburn

"A procedure is also now in place in Eden that any such reports go to the local Rural Officers or PCSO's so they can be investigated and usually the farmer visited.

"The seven years has also resulted in improved relationships between the Police and farmers, which was one of our main aims.

"We are still very much aware that a lot of missing sheep are never reported to the Police, meaning that there is unreported livestock crime. Not sure how we solve this."