POACHERS and farm thieves have been targeted in a blitz by Selby police.

Operation Jumbo has seen eight officers dedicating themselves to the problem of rural crime in the western area of the Selby district, including Sherburn-in-Elmet and Eggborough.

Members of Farm Watch were given a mobile telephone number to call which meant instead of reporting crime to the police control room they would be able to speak directly to an officer involved with Operation Jumbo.

Using high-powered Volvos and 4x4 vehicles, the officers were able to reach any rural location quickly.

This mobility and the quick response times has meant that 13 arrests have been made since the operation began on November 23. The majority of these have been for poaching.

PCSO Laura Simpson, a member of the Operation Jumbo team, said poachers were indiscriminate about what they killed and did not necessarily use humane methods.

She said poachers went after rabbits and deer but also other wildlife.

“The problem is that farmers do have genuine people going on their land and keeping rabbit numbers down – that will be one person with one dog and one gun.

“But these people go out in groups with several dogs. They don’t go out to keep numbers down, they go out and are ruthless. They let their dogs kill anything.

“They have no interest in the damage they cause. They will quite happily drive through gates and fields of crops.”

In addition to poachers, five vehicles have also been seized for offences such as not being in a roadworthy condition, and poaching equipment, such as lamps, has also been impounded.

In total, 138 vehicles have been stopped and 47 people searched.

The latest success came when police were called to three men suspected of trying to steal diesel.

No evidence of this was found but the men had driven into a farmer’s field and destroyed £1,000 of crops.

They were then arrested on suspicion of causing criminal damage.