Crime cannot be detected if police don’t know about it – yet one third of rural incidents are never reported.

That’s a statistic Dyfed-Powys Police is aiming to break down as it continues to emphasise the importance of reporting crimes in isolated areas.

The force’s rural crime teams dedicated days of a national week of action against wildlife and rural crime to speaking with farmers, urging them to get in contact if they become victims of crime.

Officers and PCSOs across the four divisions visited livestock markets, met with farming unions and carried out patrols in rural areas with the aim of spreading the message.

Superintendent Robyn Mason, force lead for rural crime, said: “We are doing all we can to tackle rural crime, but we cannot act on what we don’t know about.

“This statistic from the National Rural Crime Network shows us there are victims out there who are not being supported, and crimes that are not being investigated.

“This is not what we want to hear. We have teams dedicated to our rural areas, who understand the impact crime has on farming communities.

“Please, if you are a victim of crime, report it to us so we can investigate the incident."

Visit www.ruralcrimehotline.co.uk or call the hotline on 0800 783 0137.

See this week’s south papers for the full story, available in shops and as a digital edition on Wednesday