Crime hits farmers hard, but many incidents go unreported

The Centre for Rural Criminology’s report reveals widespread rural crime among farmers but highlights low reporting rates and police trust issues. Here’s what we know.

Up to 90 per cent of farmers believe they are central to crime prevention but do not report incidents to police because of past negative experiences.

This is the message from comprehensive data gathered by the University of New England’s Centre for Rural Criminology.

The centre’s co-director Dr Kyle Mulrooney said farmers often believed they lacked sufficient evidence or had had negative experiences when dealing with police, leading them to share information with neighbours rather than law enforcement.

Despite these challenges, Dr Mulrooney said NSW was leading the way thanks to a 63-member Rural Crime Prevention Team, which is helping to build trust among farmers.

Co-director for the centre of rural criminology at the University of New England Kyle Mulrooney. Supplied.

Dr Mulrooney has been undertaking the 2023 National Crime Survey, which collected responses from 1174 participants. A public report based on the survey findings is expected to be released by the end of this year.

The data so far shows 90 per cent of respondents had experienced rural crime in their lifetime, with one third of farmers victims of rural crime more than seven times.

Dr Mulrooney said the top crimes included stock theft, trespass, machinery and fuel theft, and illegal hunting, amid new and emerging concerns such as drone surveillance.

Even when crimes were reported, farmers stated there was a lack of impact by the courts.

“The emotional and economic impact on farmers is often underestimated, especially in metropolitan courts (that are) unfamiliar with rural realities,” Dr Mulrooney said.

In Victoria, thefts of cars and utes from farms is at a decade-high across regional Victoria, with 458 stolen in the 12 months to March 2025, according to the Crime Statistics Agency.

Victoria Police Farm Crime Coordination Unit Inspector Paul Hargreaves said when someone stole equipment, a vehicle or livestock, they were taking more than property.

“They’re taking away your ability to work and provide for your family,” he said.

“Unfortunately, farm crime is still under-reported across the state – reporting is crucial especially when it comes to stolen livestock, which can be transported interstate within days.”

Detective Chief Inspector and coordinator of the NSW rural Crime Prevention Team Cameron Whiteside. Supplied.

NSW Rural Crime Prevention Team coordinator Detective Chief Inspector Cameron Whiteside said stock theft numbers remained static, with stolen cattle down compared to sheep and goats.

“Rural thefts, including machinery and fuel, are down,” he said.

Farmers say rural crime is in fact evolving, especially with the use of surveillance technology such as drones.

Alan Brown of Borambola in southern NSW was informed about drone activity by his neighbours, and although there had been no recent theft reported, activity such as this immediately put landholders on higher alert.

“We always make sure that no vehicle has a key in it, and if we are not at the property, everything is locked,” Mr Brown said.

“But locks only keep the honest people out; someone with bad intent gets in straight away.”

Mr Brown said he urged anyone to be highly suspicious if they saw a drone because they were often used for surveillance before theft.

He said the true cost of rural crime was psychological and economic.

His home was broken into 10 years ago and $7000 worth of contents including jewellery was stolen. “None of it was ever recovered,” he said.