Three men were arrested after police stopped a vehicle and seized suspected poaching equipment near Cheltenham, in the Cotswolds. Officers from the Cotswolds Neighbourhood Policing team’s Rural Crime Unit, while conducting proactive patrols, grew suspicious of a Subaru Forester driving along back roads near Chedworth.
The vehicle was halted on suspicion of involvement in poaching activities. Following the stop, the police recovered equipment believed to be used for poaching, alongside the vehicle itself.
The three men, aged 24, 29 and 41, all from the Merthyr Tydfil area in Wales, were taken into custody. They have since been released under investigation as inquiries continue.
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In a statement on social media, the police stressed the significant impact poaching and related wildlife crimes have on local landowners, farmers and communities. These offences often cause financial hardship, distress and damage to livelihoods.
The Rural Crime Team reaffirmed their commitment to identifying and deterring those responsible for such wildlife offences.
They have urged members of the public, particularly those in rural areas who may have been affected by poaching or related criminal damage between 18 and 20 September, to come forward with information.
Information can be submitted via an online form quoting the occurrence number 53260081239 at https://orlo.uk/lnY6Z. Reports of other Rural, Wildlife or Heritage Crime can also be made through https://orlo.uk/GVEoH.