Hare coursing across the East of England has fallen by almost a third thanks to the success of a “borderless” scheme among police forces.

The crackdown on rural crime comes after Suffolk Constabulary teamed up with six other police forces in September. Incidents of hare coursing across the seven force areas fell from 2044 in 2020-2021 to 1415 in 2021-2022, a drop of 31%.

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Borders between the forces - Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Hertfordshire, Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex and Kent - were removed when using certain tactics, which has made apprehending and prosecuting offenders easier.

The agreement, completed with the support of the Crown Prosecution Service, means the forces become one when using certain powers.

Over the past six months this has helped with the use of automatic number plate recognition (ANPR), and the sharing of all interactions and movements of people suspected to be involved in hare coursing.

The move also supports the ongoing national initiative against hare coursing - Operation Galileo.

Sergeant Brian Calver from Suffolk Rural and Wildlife Team said: “Hare coursing is a huge issue for farmers and landowners with many people living in fear of these criminals. This illegal activity damages property, threatens people's incomes and subjects people to fear and intimidation as well as causing unnecessary harm to our wildlife.”

“Our tactics, together with the issuing of Community Protection Warnings (CPWs), Community Protection Notices (CPNs) and the granting of Criminal Behaviour Orders (CBOs) has seen a region-wide reduction of coursing incidents by almost a third.

“This is a great achievement by all seven forces and the CPS. Our collaboration shows how determined we are to tackle the barbaric actions of a few that cause significant physical and mental harm to those in our rural communities. We will continue with the collaboration and continue to work together to further reduce illegal coursing, lamping and poaching.”

Police and Crime Commissioner for Suffolk Tim Passmore said:  "I am particularly pleased with these outstanding results. These new collaborative arrangements between forces and other agencies have made a very significant impact on helping to reduce the levels of this appalling crime. Well done to all involved.

"The individuals who are behind illegal hare coursing are thoroughly unpleasant, violent and vile people so the sooner they are caught and punished severely the better and these results speak for themselves. This all helps make our valued rural communities safer."

Hare coursing traditionally begins in September when the fields have been harvested and ploughed, making them the perfect ground for the illegal blood sport. Hare coursing causes damage to crops, harms animal welfare and threatens the rural community. It can result in intimidation and even violence. Landowners are urged to consider blocking entrances to their fields with ditches, fencing or trees or even barriers like barrels filled with concrete.

Sally Robinson, a District Crown Prosecutor for the CPS, said: “Those who commit hare coursing have historically exploited the borders of neighbouring forces to continue their illegal activities, causing the extreme suffering and unlawful killing of hares, whilst also having a harmful effect on our rural communities.

“By using the legal expertise of the CPS and the operational knowledge of seven police forces in an innovative and collaborative way to effectively remove those borders, we have collectively built stronger cases for prosecution and made it harder for the perpetrators to offend in the future.

“The CPS takes wildlife crime seriously and we will continue to work closely with the police and other partners to bring offenders to justice whenever our legal test is met.”

Anyone who sees hare coursing taking place is asked to contact police immediately on 999 and provide officers with a description of the people involved, any registration numbers, vehicle descriptions and the location and direction of travel. Its important people don’t confront hare coursers or put themselves at risk.

If you have information about hare coursing and it’s not currently happening, or have been a victim of the crime, please call 101 or report online. If a crime is in progress call 999.