New data shows that 50 per cent of rural crime goes unreported, which Liverpool Plains Shire Council mayor Andrew Hope says is disturbing.
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Cr Hope is urging victims and those who may see suspicious activity taking place to report all matters to police as quickly as possible to assist them bring perpetrators to justice.
"In 2018, the NSW Police established a specialist Rural Crime Prevention Team which has been making good headway addressing this issue, but they need all incidents reported to help them construct the bigger picture that can lead to more arrests. Unless they get all available information they are working with one hand tied behind their back," he said.
"Stock and firearms theft, trespass and illegal hunting continue to be major areas of concern costing the farming sector millions of dollars a year.
"In recent years, stock theft in NSW has averaged 20,000 individual head per annum. Sheep theft outnumbers cattle theft by a margin of roughly 10 to one. This alone is costing farmers between $3-$4 million a year."
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Cr Hope said this was "an impact our rural families don't need as they try to recover from a devastating drought".
"Firearm theft continues to be a problem and police urge owners to ensure their guns are stored correctly in gun safes that are bolted or fixed to the property and to keep the safe key on your person and not hidden at your property," he said.
"Trespassing increases biosecurity risks for farmers. Diseases can be carried from farm-to-farm and the spreading of disease not only harms livestock, it also affects farmers' income and on occasions becomes a health hazard for consumers.
"Apart from the biosecurity risk illegal hunting poses, the damage to farmers' property caused by this activity can potentially run into thousands of dollars and includes injury or death of livestock, damage to fences and crops, and straying stock."
Call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 to report crime.