More than 20 off-road bikes, a stolen car, dead animals, firearms and drugs have been recovered from a property in Rotherham after officers executed a warrant as part of a crackdown on rural and wildlife crime.
On Monday (2 March), police launched the South Yorkshire Rural Crime Initiative, aimed at tackling offences that impact rural communities, businesses and farmers across the county.
Shortly after the initiative began, officers carried out a warrant at a property onย Lockwood Road in the East Herringthorpe area of Rotherham.
After forcing entry to the property, officers were immediately met with evidence suggesting hunting and animal cruelty. The warrant followed intelligence shared by wildlife charity Naturewatch and was carried out alongside officers from the RSPCA.
A 40-year-old man was arrested at the scene while officers carried out a search of the address.
During the search, officers recoveredย 22 off-road bikes, which are suspected to be stolen. Aย Toyota Hilux, worth more than ยฃ30,000, was also seized and has since been confirmed as stolen, with cloned registration plates attached.
Officers also discoveredย dead frozen foxes, hares, rabbits and deer, which have been seized as evidence as part of the investigation.
Several dogs believed to have been used for hunting were also found at the property. The animals were discovered with injuries and have been seized by officers and the RSPCA for their welfare.
Further items recovered during the warrant includedย Class B drugs, drug paraphernalia, air rifles, crossbows, catapults and a firearm.
Chief Inspector Peter Spratt, force lead for rural crime, said the warrant demonstrated the forceโs commitment to tackling criminal activity affecting rural communities.
โThe launch of our Rural Crime Initiative pledged our dedication to identifying and stopping those who cause harm to our rural communities, animals and land, and this warrant is an example of our commitment.
โThose who use animals for hunting are frequently linked to wider criminality, and there is often criminal damage and anti-social behaviour associated with their actions. Seizing equipment, animals, weapons and recovering drugs causes significant disruption to criminality, and for that we make no apologies.
โI also want to take this opportunity to thank our partners at Naturewatch and the RSPCA, who played a really important role in our initial investigatory response. Information from the community and our partners is crucial in helping us build our intelligence picture around rural and wildlife crime and ensures we can effectively direct our resources.
โI encourage anyone with information or concerns around rural and wildlife crime to report it to us directly, so we can take action.โ
The 40-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of offences under theย Animal Welfare Actย andย possession of controlled drugs with intent to supply. He has since beenย released on bail pending further enquiries.
