A POLICE boss has pledged to use high tech methods to combat rural crime during a visit to a farmers’ mart in Dolgellau.

The new North Wales Police and Crime Commissioner, Arfon Jones, is calling for more Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras to be used to catch criminals trying to avoid detection by using back roads.

Mr Jones, a former police inspector who was raised on a farm in Harlech, was speaking during a visit to the Farmers Mart when he also promised to support the pioneering rural crime team which was set up by North Wales Police two and a half years ago.

He said: “It’s important that the rural areas of north Wales are given the same attention by the police as the urban areas.

“I am determined to make sure the police station in Dolgellau remains open 24/7 because this area needs to be policed properly.

“The work of the rural crime team is tremendously important and they are well respected by farmers and others who are interested in the countryside and wildlife. The team has been highly successful since it was established two and a half years ago and has won a number of richly deserved awards.

“A lot of forces are looking to this team as a benchmark of best practice so they can try and emulate what’s happening in north Wales.

“I am determined to continue funding the rural crime team. In the grand scheme of things, they don’t cost a great deal and I would hope that a number of our partners like Natural Resources Wales would contribute because they also benefit from the team’s work.”

See the full story in this week’s Meirionnydd edition of the Cambrian News