Work to catch offenders in rural areas in Nottinghamshire have been boosted by the addition of three brand-new Hilux 4x4s which have been rolled out across the county.

The fleet available to Nottinghamshire Police has been expanded with vehicles located in Bassetlaw, Newark and Sherwood, and Rushcliffe to give the force the best chance of stopping criminals.

The new vehicles have also been installed with mobile automatic number plate recognition cameras to enhance the existing network of fixed cameras on the county’s roads, which instantly alert police to sightings of vehicles linked to criminal activity.

The work taking place is part of Nottinghamshire Police and Crime Commissioner Caroline Henry’s commitment to tackling rural crime as part of the Make Notts Safe policing plan, with £200,000 investment also being provided to secure rural homes and businesses across some of the biggest rural spaces in the county across Newark and Sherwood.

This included the appointment of Rural Crime Prevention Officer David Elms in 2023, who has been evaluating the needs of rural crime victims and implemented security measures to make it more difficult for criminals to reoffend.

Nottinghamshire Police is carrying out the work with support from partners at Bassetlaw District Council and Newark and Sherwood District Council.

Caroline said: “One of the things I’m passionate about is making sure everybody in Nottinghamshire gets the police service they deserve.

“Historically some of our rural communities have felt left out, so I’ve been determined to make a difference by creating extra money to help reduce crime in vulnerable areas.

“We’ve taken action to purchase the new Hilux 4x4s to further strengthen our position of tackling criminals who may think they can escape by heading off-road.

“I want to make sure our officers in the rural areas, which makes up two thirds of Nottinghamshire, have the kit they need to keep communities safe and feeling safe.”

Additional funding has also allowed officers across the force to undertake more training surrounding rural crime.

Call handlers and dispatchers are also given additional training by the National Farmers’ Union to help them better understand and respond to the unique impact that rural crime can have when they assess the threat, risk, and harm caused by the incident being reported.

There are now 48 police constables and PCSOs across the force who have access to this specialist equipment, resources, and training.

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