The cost of rural crime in Northern Ireland rose by 24% last year to reach £2.2 million, according to new figures published by NFU Mutual. This sharp increase occurred despite UK-wide financial investments and joint strategic efforts designed to combat serious and organised crime.

The rising cost across Northern Ireland contrasts with the broader UK statistics released today (Thursday 28 May) in the NFU Mutual annual report. The findings reveal that rural crime cost the UK an estimated £41.5 million in 2025, representing a decrease from the £44.1 million recorded during the previous year.

Throughout 2025, criminals continued to target high-value agricultural machinery and livestock across the UK, resulting in an increased cost for the theft of quad bikes, farm vehicles, and livestock. This pattern proved particularly worrying within Northern Ireland, which experienced a 122% spike in agricultural vehicle thefts, driven largely by a rise in stolen quad bikes.

Furthermore, the estimated financial impact of livestock theft in Northern Ireland escalated by an alarming 107%. While stock rustling dates back centuries, the crime has evolved into a highly organised operation that mirrors wider trends in rural criminality. Because rearing livestock demands a long-term investment of labour, time, and planning, the theft of farm animals often inflicts severe emotional and financial trauma on farming families.

As rural crime has become more organised in recent years, law enforcement and the agricultural industry have adapted their responses. A key indicator of this collaborative success is a dramatic drop in the theft of global positioning system (GPS) units, which saw costs plummet by 80% year-on-year across the UK to nearly £250,000.

Nick Turner, Chief Executive of NFU Mutual, said: "For more than 20 years, NFU Mutual has called for a stronger response to rural crime, and we know the financial and emotional toll it takes on farmers. As a mutual, our support goes beyond paying claims: last year we invested over £500,000 in rural crime initiatives, including ongoing funding for the National Rural Crime Unit and the UK's first dedicated livestock theft officer. We also collaborate with the unit to identify at-risk areas and support recovery efforts." Hannah Binns, Rural Affairs Specialist at NFU Mutual, added: "Rural crime is more organised than ever, with criminals prepared to go to extreme lengths, and 2025 proved no exception. Targeted investment in rural crime fighting initiatives and industry collaboration with law enforcement is essential in responding to this relatively new threat, and it is helping drive down crime in many areas. However, the increased cost of rural crime to Northern Irish farmers shows that we cannot afford to be complacent, and that organised criminals will continue to find new ways to target farmers.

"The impact of rural crime extends beyond financial loss, undermining trust and connection, often leaving a trauma that can remain with farmers, their families and wider communities for a lifetime. This is felt deeply in Northern Ireland, with roughly 75% of the country's land used for agriculture, making the impact of rural crime more locally visible.

"It's vital that we continue to be vigilant against rural crime, and the general UK-wide trend of the past few years shows that a collaborative response between Government, police, farmers, rural communities, insurers, and manufacturers can tackle rural crime. But as the rise in Northern Ireland shows, fighting rural crime is not straightforward, and so we will continue to do all we can to help disrupt the criminals who prey on countryside communities. We are proud to be a member of the Rural Crime Partnership in Northern Ireland, working with police, government bodies, the farming union and businesses to help protect communities in Northern Ireland. Only a coordinated effort across industry, farming and law enforcement can deliver a unified response to rural crime. United, we can tackle it head on."

A survey of 119 NFU Mutual Agents across the UK, who operate within local rural communities, highlighted the wide-reaching consequences of these crimes. More than nine in ten (91%) agents reported that rural crime was actively disrupting farming operations in their local area, while 79% knew of farmers who had been targeted on multiple occasions.

Alarmingly, 29% of those surveyed had witnessed farmers alter their operational practices or leave the agricultural industry entirely as a direct result of rural crime. Additionally, 90% believed that local specialised rural crime teams required increased funding to operate effectively.