Wildlife Crime More Than Doubles Amid Rise In Recorded Rural Offending

Recorded rural offending across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight has increased by almost ten per cent, including an over 100 per cent spike in wildlife crime.

These are among the findings of Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) Donna Jones’s 2026 draft Annual Report, due to be discussed by scrutiny body the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Police and Crime Panel on Wednesday (July 8).

The report says that between June 2025 and March 2026, Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary’s Rural Crime Task Force recovered over £500,000 worth of stolen or crime-related property.

The PCC launched the Rural Crime Task Force in June 2025 to provide a coordinated, intelligence-led response to serious and organised rural criminality.

Working alongside neighbourhood policing teams, the force has focused on identifying high-harm offenders, targeting crime hotspots and linking rural crime to wider organised criminal networks.

The report refers to an increase in recorded rural crime of 8.61 per cent which it says reflects improved reporting and intelligence gathering across rural areas.

Key 2025/26 trends include increases in wildlife crime (122.73 per cent), poaching (10.62 per cent) and metal theft (8.24 per cent).

Wildlife crime is any activity which goes against legislation protecting the UK’s wild animals and plants, according to the constabulary.

It can cause pain and suffering to animals, push species closer to extinction and can be connected to other serious crimes such as firearms offences and organised crime.

Examples include poaching, coursing, animal cruelty, hunting with dogs and offences against birds, badgers and bats.

The report also shows reductions in criminal damage (65.22 per cent), farm machinery theft (21.97 per cent) and equine offences (26.32 per cent).

It notes enforcement outcomes have ‘improved significantly’, with formal action taken outcomes increasing by 41.07 per cent in 2025/26, compared to the previous year.

“This improvement reflects the impact of the Rural Crime Task Force and the focus on proactive policing and offender identification,” the document says.

“The combination of targeted investment, advanced technology, specialist policing capability, and strengthened partnerships has created a more resilient and responsive approach to tackling rural crime.”

The Hampshire and Isle of Wight Police and Crime Panel will meet at Ashburton Hall in Winchester at 2pm on Wednesday.