The vigilance of residents in the Bedale area resulted in a 4×4 suspected of involvement in poaching being seized by police.
At 11am on Friday, November 22, rural watch volunteers contacted North Yorkshire Police about a group of men with dogs walking across farmland near Bedale.
Officers from the force’s rural taskforce and local neighbourhood policing team carried out a search of the area, and found a silver Nissan X-Trail.
When challenged, the occupants claimed they had opened the boot and their dogs had run off.
However, the car was untaxed, and so it was seized by police. It may be sold or scrapped within 14 days if the owner does not tax it and pay a release fee.
Earlier this year, North Yorkshire Police warned poachers that their illegal behaviour would not be tolerated.
Residents are encouraged to note down and report any suspicious activity, such as unusual vehicle movements, particularly in remote, rural areas.
Even if the information doesn’t lead to an immediate response, every piece of intelligence helps the police build up a picture and could prove vital in bring criminals to justice. Call North Yorkshire Police on 101, or 999 in an emergency.
Poaching refers to the illegal taking, killing, injuring or pursuit of game, deer or fish. North Yorkshire has large, isolated areas of farmland, forestry and lakes, which tend to be vulnerable to poaching activity.
In addition to being a wildlife crime, illegal poaching on farmland can cause significant damage to young crops, resulting in large financial losses for farmers.
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