Victoria Police will strengthen its resources with the creation of a new unit to tackle farm-related crime.
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The focus of the Farm Crime Coordination Unit will be to monitor trends in farm-related crimes to solve more cases, with one key role to mitigate animal rights activism including trespassing on farms, production plants, abattoirs and stock yards as well as demonstrations and blockades.
Though police say farm crime continues to be under-reported, more than $1.6 million worth of livestock has been stolen from farms across Victoria in the past year with more than 260 offences recorded.
On top of livestock theft, 3500 other recorded offences in the year until March 2019 include the theft of firearms, ammunition, power tools, diesel, farm equipment, pumps and trailers.
Earlier this year, in a survey conducted by the Pyrenees-based Community Safety Network, residents indicated farm and stock theft as one of the biggest issues they were facing.
Victoria Police established Agricultural Liaison Officer roles in 2011 to address the increasing livestock thefts and farm-related crime.
There are currently 71 Farm Crime Liaison Officers, formerly known as Agricultural Liaison Officers - who also have other policing duties - employed across the state.
The Farm Crime Coordination Unit will be based in Geelong and will be comprised of support officers including intelligence analysts and an Inspector, former Ballarat police officer Karl Curran.
The unit will oversee the work of all of the Farm Crime Liaison Officers to monitor crime trends and patterns, develop intelligence and work with local police to address the issues locally while providing intelligence to police command.
The officers will be given consistent training to act as a key point of contact for stakeholders, including the Victorian Farmers Federation (VFF), as well as to provide strategies and advice to farming and agricultural communities.
Smythesdale farmer John Murphy, who earlier this year had seven pigs stolen from his property, praised the initiative.
Happily, most of his beloved pet pigs were later returned, which he believes was mostly due to social media and media attention.
He and his neighbours keep an eye out for each other but stock and equipment thefts still occur, so Mr Murphy said the initiative would be good to solve more cases.
In the decade he has been living in Smythesdale he has been robbed three times.
Apart from his pigs being stolen, thieves have previously stolen a water pump, electric tools, a generator and a ride-on mower.
"When you have something stolen, you really do feel quite violated, knowing somebody has come to your property. It's not a nice experience," he said.
"We are very vulnerable out here. Some of my neighbours are quite anxious about leaving their properties for extended periods of time so I think that having some additional resources would be very helpful."
Though farm crime represents less than one per cent of all crime in Victoria, VFF president David Jochinke said the crimes were under-reported and cost rural communities a lot, though they were often difficult for farmers to report.
Previous to the announcement, he said farmers did not feel supported so he hoped the unit would provide clear pathways to reporting the crimes with officers who understand rural issues.
Police Minister Lisa Neville said there had been an increase in farm crime and illegal activism, particularly of trespassing in recent years and so Victoria Police had undertaken a review of the previous system to determine the best way to respond.
With 70 per cent of farm crime committed in the west of the state, Ms Neville said the creation of the unit responded to calls from regional communities and the Victorian Farmers Federation to strengthen the previous system and ensure a dedicated response to farm-related crimes.
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