Beds Rural Crime Action Team - RCAT

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Trailer thieves beware...At Bedfordshire RCAT, we have a range of specialist tools and training to help identify stolen ...
27/10/2026

Trailer thieves beware...

At Bedfordshire RCAT, we have a range of specialist tools and training to help identify stolen trailers, plant and machinery. Our officers are equipped with DataTag scanners, VINChip scanners, and have received specialist training from the National Vehicle Crime Intelligence Service (NaVCIS) in identifying vehicles, plant, machinery and trailers that criminals often try to disguise or pass off as legitimate.

Today, that expertise paid off.

While examining a trailer, officers were able to identify it as stolen, linking it to one crime report and then connecting it to a second investigation. As a result, evidence has since been established that links the trailer to an offender who has already been in custody.

Criminals often believe changing identities, removing markings or moving equipment across force boundaries will prevent detection. The reality is that modern forensic marking systems, vehicle identification methods and specialist police training make it increasingly difficult to hide stolen property.

So, if you've been involved in handling stolen trailers, plant or machinery, don't be surprised if Bedfordshire RCAT comes knocking on your door in the near future...

If you have information about rural crime, theft of trailers, plant or machinery, please report it to Bedfordshire Police or contact Crimestoppers anonymously.

Recently, RCAT were contacted by a victim whose stolen trailer had been located near Potton. Thanks to the information p...
23/10/2026

Recently, RCAT were contacted by a victim whose stolen trailer had been located near Potton. Thanks to the information provided and the support of members of our rural community, we were able to quickly assess the situation, obtain the necessary permissions to access the land for the safe recovery of the trailer without causing damage to crops.

This successful recovery was very much a team effort, involving people from across our rural communities, including those involved in agriculture, game shooting, and other countryside pursuits. By sharing information and working together, the trailer is now back with its rightful owner.

It was great to see the victim reunited with his trailer and serves as a reminder that tackling rural crime is not something any one person or organisation can do alone. Strong partnerships, good communication, and a shared commitment to protecting our countryside are key to achieving positive results.

Thank you to everyone who played a part in this recovery. Together, we are making our rural communities safer places to live and work.

Rural crime remains a key concern for many of our communities, and we are committed to working together to keep Bedfords...
22/10/2026

Rural crime remains a key concern for many of our communities, and we are committed to working together to keep Bedfordshire's countryside safe.
We are pleased to invite you to the PCC & NFU Rural Crime Conference, taking place on Thursday 19 November, from 0900hrs to 1100hrs at Keysoe Village Hall.

This free event is open to anyone who is passionate about our rural communities and wants to learn more about the work being done to tackle rural crime.

Representatives from Bedfordshire Police, including the Rural Crime Action Team (RCAT) will be joined by Bedfordshire's Police and Crime Commissioner, John Tizard, and Bedfordshire and Huntingdon NFU Chair, Freya Morgan, who will discuss current rural crime issues, the latest crime prevention strategies, and answer your questions.

Whether you are a farmer, landowner, equestrian, business owner, or resident of a rural community, this is an excellent opportunity to engage with key partners and help shape the conversation around rural safety.

Event Details:

• Date: Thursday 19 November
• Time: 0900hrs to 1100hrs
• Location: Keysoe Village Hall
• Cost: Free to attend

Book your free place today: https://orlo.uk/cB3Zw

We look forward to seeing you there and working together to protect Bedfordshire's rural communities.

📞 | We have received several reports of members of the public receiving scam phone calls claiming to be from a Bedfor...
20/10/2026

📞 | We have received several reports of members of the public receiving scam phone calls claiming to be from a Bedfordshire Police officer.

Scammers are becoming increasingly sophisticated and can make a phone number appear genuine, including numbers belonging to trusted organisations such as the police.

In recent reports, a caller purporting to work for the force has asked for victims' bank card details after claiming they have seized stolen bank cards from someone in police custody.

Thankfully, none of these reports has ended in the victim giving over details or cash, but these are just the calls we know about.

🚫 Remember, Bedfordshire Police will NEVER ask you to give your bank details, or withdraw, move or hand over money.

☎️ Don’t assume a phone call is authentic just because the caller knows your name, or references legitimate organisations or banks.

📱 Look out for scam calls, especially if you have elderly or vulnerable family members. If in any doubt, end the call and report to Report Fraud via https://orlo.uk/bmvnj or 0300 123 2040.

✅ There’s advice on how to spot courier fraud and what to do here: https://orlo.uk/DlRNX

17/10/2026

🚔 GREAT TEAMWORK – RCAT & RPU! 🚔

👏 Excellent work by officers from Bedfordshire Police’s Rural Crime Action Team (RCAT) and Roads Policing Unit (RPU). A motorhome stolen from Durham was tracked all the way to Bedfordshire, leading officers to a site in Leighton Buzzard.

🚁 With the assistance of our police drone, officers successfully located the stolen motorhome, which was subsequently recovered. 💪 A fantastic example of teamwork, technology and proactive policing coming together to tackle cross-border crime and recover stolen property.

Great work by everyone involved! 👏

14/10/2026

🚔🌙 RURAL CRIME TEAM – WORKING LATE TO KEEP OUR COMMUNITIES SAFE 🌾🚜

As the nights start to draw in and the evenings get darker, our Rural Crime Action Team (RCAT) will be working later into the night to help prevent and tackle crime across rural Bedfordshire.

As part of our Winter Rural Crime Plan, our officers will be increasing their presence in rural areas, carrying out proactive patrols, targeting those involved in criminal activity and providing reassurance to our farming and rural communities.

🚔 Our message is simple: Criminals should not see the darker evenings as an opportunity to target our countryside.

We remain committed to protecting our rural communities, preventing crime and bringing offenders to justice.

🤝 As always, if you have any concerns or would like crime prevention advice, please don’t hesitate to contact the Rural Crime Action Team. We’re here to help.

📧 Email: [email protected]

📞 Report suspicious activity via 101 or online. Always call 999 if a crime is in progress.

14/10/2026

🚨 GREAT TEAMWORK – ONE ARREST IN RAVENSDEN 🚔🐕‍🦺

On Monday night, officers responded to reports of an attempted burglary at a farm in Ravensden where the suspects arrived in a stolen vehicle.

Thanks to some excellent teamwork between our patrol colleagues and a police dog handler, one male was successfully tracked down by the police dog and arrested. 👮‍♂️🐕

👏 Fantastic work by everyone involved, particularly our patrol officers and dog handler, demonstrating great teamwork and determination in tackling rural crime.

Working together to protect our rural communities! 🚜

🚔🤝 Staying informed is one of the best ways to help keep our communities safe.By signing up to BedsConnected, you'll re...
01/10/2026

🚔🤝

Staying informed is one of the best ways to help keep our communities safe.

By signing up to BedsConnected, you'll receive updates directly from your local policing team about issues affecting your area, crime prevention advice, appeals for information and community news.

Join thousands of residents already helping to make Bedfordshire a safer place to live, work and visit.

📲 Sign up today: https://orlo.uk/mbt9K

You'll also have the opportunity to take part in the National Public Confidence in Policing Survey.

Your feedback will help researchers understand what matters most to local communities and how confidence in policing changes over time, helping to inform and shape policing services for the future.

13/09/2026

🚜 RURAL CRIME ACTION TEAM 🚔
LATEST RESULTS

The results keep coming for Bedfordshire Police’s Rural Crime Action Team, as we continue to target those committing crimes across our rural communities.

📊 THE NUMBERS SO FAR

🔹 313 intelligence reports submitted
🔹 19 arrests made
🔹 58 vehicles seized
🔹 38 of those vehicles confirmed as stolen

That’s 38 stolen vehicles recovered and taken out of the hands of criminals.

🤝 CRIME DOESN’T STOP AT COUNTY BORDERS — AND NEITHER DO WE

Working closely with our colleagues at Hertfordshire Police, recent cross-border activity has resulted in:

🚔 4 arrests
🏍️ 9 quad bikes recovered

Partnership working and intelligence sharing between neighbouring forces is crucial in tackling organised and travelling criminals who target our rural communities.

🌾 LOOKING AHEAD

As we head into the autumn and winter months, our focus remains firmly on preventing rural crime, gathering intelligence, proactive enforcement and engaging directly with our farmers, landowners and rural communities.

If you see something suspicious in our countryside, report it. That piece of information could be the missing part of the picture.

PREVENT. RESPOND. SOLVE.






| Last week we were telling you about Auror – a retail crime intelligence platform designed to link shop-lifting offen...
15/07/2026

| Last week we were telling you about Auror – a retail crime intelligence platform designed to link shop-lifting offences and help us arrest persistent offenders.

This week has seen another success with a suspect charged with 24 offences in and around Bedford with thefts worth hundreds of pounds between April and July. She will appear in court next month.

Auror collates intelligence and is used by hundreds of retailers nationwide. It has now been brought to Bedfordshire. It means retailers can contact officers more effectively with evidence of offending.

The platform then links incidents, building a profile of persistent offenders and building cases against them.

We know retail crime is a concern for local communities and this is one more tool in our campaign to bring the criminals to justice.

Don’t forget you can report issues directly to us using our webchat facility here https://orlo.uk/b9UYO or call 101.

You can also report anonymously at Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.

Address

Woburn Road
Bedford
MK439AX

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