
Police ready for hare coursing season
The hare coursing season is underway and policing teams are ready to tackle offenders.
Rural Crime officers from Lincolnshire, Cambridgeshire, Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire have met to launch this year’s Operation Galileo, which is a targeted response across police forces to tackle illegal hare coursing in the four counties.
The meeting at Belvoir Castle, Grantham last Wednesday also sends a message to hare coursers that they are not welcome in the region.
Lincolnshire’s response is led by the Rural Crime Action Team (RCAT) – its expertise and specialist knowledge has brought many hare coursers to justice over the last few years including:
- 276 reports
- 33 people arrested for offences relating to hare coursing
- 15 dogs seized
- 14 vehicles seized
The 276 hare coursing reports often include multiple sightings of the same incident and the team is urging the public to get in touch with information about live incidents or suspicious activity, as each account helps officers build a clearer picture to respond to incidents.
Sergeant Thomas Smith, from The Rural Crime Action Team (RCAT) said “Our rural communities make up a large part of Lincolnshire’s population and we must do everything we can to keep our rural communities safe.
“We will be working alongside other forces and teams within Lincolnshire Police to ensure that hare coursers know they are not welcome in any county.
“Hare coursing can cause thousands of pounds’ worth of damage to land and crops, and landowners and farmers are often faced with unacceptable intimidation and violence.
“The RCAT team are dedicated to ensuring our communities are protected from this barbaric act, and that everything will be done to bring those involved to justice. We will be patrolling areas and acting on intelligence and reports of hare coursing.
“Tackling hare coursing takes significant effort, and while we recognise the many challenges our communities face, we remain committed to keeping people safe, protecting wildlife, and bringing offenders to justice”
If you witness hare coursing taking place, please call 999. The more information the better, including vehicle descriptions and number plates, where possible. For anyone who sees anything they feel is suspicious and related to hare coursing, call 101.