WHAT do horse and farm watch schemes, operations against burglaries and training officers have in common?

They’re all initiatives which have been successfully used by Avon and Somerset Police to reduce rural crime in the area.

The force say figures for rural crime reports show a 16 per cent reduction across Avon and Somerset.

The number of rural crimes recorded from February 1 to April 2014 was 223, compared to 187 in the same period this year.

Across all the rural beats within Avon and Somerset in those same periods there was a 5.4 per cent reduction of recorded crime; from 6,663 to 6,301.

Sgt Stuart Williams of the Rural Crime Team said: “Naturally we’revery pleased about these figures, but we can’t be complacent whilst there are new victims and new offences every day.

“Nationally and regionally there is plenty of determination and energy going into fighting rural crime, which means that sharing resources and ideas is better than it ever has been.”

The force began a new method of assessing the impact of rural crime in February 2014 by recording the number of crimes against businesses or properties, which rely on the land for a living.

The Police and Crime Commissioner for Avon and Somerset is a member of the National Rural Crime Network of about 20 forces and organises the local forum.