Two arrested in connection with hare coursing

Police have arrested two suspected hare coursers following reports from the public last week.

The Force had received numerous reports from the farming communities on the Tetbury/Dursley border that they had seen a spate of incidents.

In response to the calls, officers from the Rural Crime Team targeted the area overnight on Tuesday 24 September. As a result of this, they arrested two men on suspicion of offences under the Hunting Act 2004.

Hare coursing - an illegal activity where dogs are used to chase, catch and kill hares – is a serious problem in some rural areas. Not only does it involve cruelty to wild animals, it is also associated with a range of other criminal activities, including theft, criminal damage, violence and intimidation.

Sergeant Sam Swinford, from the Rural Crime Team, urged members of the public to come forward to tell police of any incidents so that officers can take the appropriate action.

She said: "I would like to thank the farmers and other members of the public for the information that led to these arrests. It's very satisfying that the poacher blocks are having the desired effect and helping us to target wildlife crime and preventing crop damage.

"We continue to urge the public to report offences like this to us as gathering intelligence helps us stop criminals in their tracks. Wildlife law can be complicated and we would rather you contacted us and we investigate, than not hear from you."

A 19-year-old man from Devon and a 17-year-old boy from Weston-Super-Mare were arrested on suspicion of hunting a wild mammal with dogs. They have been released on bail while enquiries continue.

There are a number of ways that farmers can protect their land and livestock from poachers, including the installation of poacher blocks that can prevent access to fields and prevent damage to property and crops.

If you think a wildlife crime is being committed then contact us by reporting a crime on our website: https://www.gloucestershire.police.uk/ro/report/ocr/af/how-to-report-a-crime/

You can also report wildlife crime anonymously to Crimestoppers, by calling 0800 555 111.