A Mid Wales MP has called for a dedicated rural crime inspector post to be created.

Steve Witherden MP for Montgomeryshire and Glyndŵr has written to Dyfed-Powys Police to urge the force to create a dedicated position.

The force covers 65 per cent of the constituency and represents the biggest rural police force area in both England and Wales.

It has 22 police inspectors, but none dedicated to ‘rural crime’ encompassing things such as quad bike and machinery theft, livestock theft, dog attacks on livestock, and fly-tipping.

He joins the National Farmers Union (NFU) Cymru, which called for a dedicated position to be created this June, arguing that the post would lead to better collaboration between rural crime officers, helping to tackle offences that are usually part of organised crime.

Steve Witherden said: “I am in constant communication with members of the agricultural community, and I know that rural crime is a major blight on farmers’ livelihoods that too often goes unpunished.

“Such crimes are overwhelmingly organised in nature.

“As a result, I and many like-minded stakeholders believe that Dyfed-Powys Police must adapt to this growing challenge by altering its organisational structure accordingly.

“It is a very serious threat.

“A Rural Crime Inspector would allow for the focused and coordinated response that properly tackling such offences requires.

“A new, permanent chief constable for Dyfed-Powys will be in place later this year – that will be the time to review how the force is working to prevent rural crime and ensure that offences are either prevented, or not left unpunished.”

Dyfed-Powys Police Chief Superintendent Clark Jones-John said: “We realise the significant impact that rural crime has on the public and within the farming communities.

“Dyfed-Powys Police has dedicated rural crime teams, which operate within the counties of Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion, Powys and Pembrokeshire.

“These teams comprise Police Officers and Police Community Support Officers who are trained to investigate and prevent crimes within our rural areas.

“The Force also has a Central Prevention Hub, which coordinates prevention activities across a range of crime types and other issues that affect the public.

“We continually look at ways to improve our services; we look forward to further engagement with NFU Cymru and other agencies so that we can work together to effectively protect the public and businesses in the rural areas of Dyfed and Powys.”