Poachers will have vehicles crushed, police warn

Poachers travelling to North Yorkshire have been warned by police they could have their vehicles seized and crushed.

North Yorkshire Police said extra patrols were in place in rural areas with the aim of intercepting people suspected of poaching.

The force said 80% of incidents take place between September and February and in addition to being a wildlife crime, the activities of poachers can cause damage to fields, fences and crops.

They said suspicious vehicles entering the county would be stopped and checked as part of Operation Galileo in an attempt to stop a crime which "brings misery" to rural communities.

In August last year, police stopped a Subaru Forester on land near Tockwith, York.

Officers found two men and three lurcher-type dogs in the car with hand lamps.

The men appeared in court and pleaded guilty to entering land as a trespasser at night with poaching equipment, resulting in a fine.

Last month, the Subaru Forester was crushed and their lamps were forfeited.

PC David Mackay, officer in the case, said: "This is just one example of the police response that rural criminals face in North Yorkshire.

"In this case, a financial penalty and the loss of a 4x4 vehicle should certainly make poachers think long and hard before coming here again."

Sgt David Lund, of North Yorkshire Police’s Rural Task Force, said poachers often travelled to the county from other areas and their actions brought "misery to rural communities".

"Selfish poachers don’t care about the financial and emotional impact of their criminal activity – but they do care about the fines and forfeiture orders handed to them at court.

"If you travel to North Yorkshire intent on poaching, you should know that we’ll be here to stop you, and put you before the courts."

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