Police chief defends record amid rural 'crime wave'

A police chief says his team is being "proactive" in addressing rural crime after a spate of quad bike thefts from farms and the discovery of large cannabis farms in town centres.

Dr Richard Lewis, chief constable of Dyfed-Powys Police, said the force had cut crime by 18% in the year to June 2024 - more than four times the average reduction in Wales and England.

He said more cannabis farms were being discovered because "drugs were a priority", but added they were becoming "more sophisticated" and were often hidden in "buildings within buildings".

It comes after agricultural organisation NFU Cymru warned rural communities in west Wales were being threatened by a "crime wave".

Dyfed Powys Police recently confirmed that at least 60 quad bike thefts occurred in its area in 2024.

New quad bikes can cost up to £10,000 each and Dr Lewis said the offences were concerning but defended his force's actions against the perpetrators.

"There have been recent prosecutions for offences and arrests and remands as well as the capture of some stolen quad bikes in Pembrokeshire," he said.

"We are dealing with a number of offences from different areas of the force area."

Dr Lewis said his force seized £15m worth of cannabis since January 2023.

"They're becoming more sophisticated in terms of the way they set up their cannabis grows, particularly those in commercial premises. They bypass the electricity in about 80% of the occasions.

"Very often, they are hiding in plain sight. They are building buildings within buildings, to hide what they're doing."

When asked if he was embarrassed by a cannabis farm being discovered just four doors down from Newcastle Emlyn police station, he said he was not, adding it was a "success story".

"As a result of the information provided by the community, we discovered that farm," he said.

"A cannabis grow takes about three months... it's only in the short few weeks right towards the end that they start becoming smelly.

"We're being very proactive and as a result we're finding more."

Suspected cannabis farms have been found in in Llandysul, Pembroke, Pembroke Dock, Welshpool, Carmarthen, Tycroes and Newcastle Emlyn during 2024.

Dr Lewis admitted the "vastness" of the force area, which covers more than half of Wales, did make policing more challenging.

A recent Freedom of Information request revealed that, on 1 October 2024, of the 1310 warranted police officers on the force's books, 55 were absent due to sickness, with a further 138 officers on restricted duty, totalling nearly 15% of the workforce.

Dr Lewis said the figures were a reflection of the pressures of the job.

"Particularly during this time of year, a number of our officers and staff are assaulted by members of the community. That leads to them being off work," he said.

"Beyond that, the number of traumatic events the police officers and staff and special constables deal with at Dyfed-Powys Police and in any force in England and Wales means that it has a material impact.

"We do all we can to support those officers and staff during the difficult time in their career."