Poachers were caught in Dorset during a cross border operation on 27 January.

Officers from Dorset Police, Wiltshire Police, Hampshire Police, and the Dorset Police and Crime Commissioner Dave Sidwick, came together to support a national operation developed to target hare coursing and cross border criminality.

Op Galileo is a national operation supported by many police forces across the UK, and by many agencies including the National Farmers’ Union, making life even more difficult for hare coursers.

Almost half of Dorset’s population live in rural areas, so an effective police response to reports of crime and anti-social behaviour affecting the rural communities is essential to helping to keep our communities safe.

By working with other forces across the country, police can share information and intelligence on offenders who cause greatest harm to our rural communities.

Inspector Chrissie Plumley of the Rural Crime Team said: “Our rural communities play a vital part in helping us gather intelligence, and we really value their support.

“Any vehicles identified through intelligence, our available resources such as ANPR and the force drone unit, or that were suspected to be used in rural crime, were proactively stopped and searched as part of the operation.

“This was a fantastic display of multi-agency working under the Op Galileo banner, targeting suspected offenders who cause the greatest harm to our rural communities and sharing information and intelligence from across the whole of the UK.”

During the operation, Rural Crime Team officers responded to several incidents including a report of poaching in progress in the Corfe Castle area. A vehicle was stopped, and two men were arrested on suspicion of poaching. Dead game birds and weapons were reportedly found following a search of their vehicle. Their vehicle was seized and they were subsequently interviewed and released under investigation pending further enquiries.

Dorset Police and Crime Commissioner, David Sidwick, who attended the operation, said: “Tackling rural crime is one of the priorities of my Police and Crime Plan and so I was delighted to be able to attend this multi-agency operation to target hare coursers and poachers.

“This operation saw officers from across county borders working together, using information given to them by the rural community to tackle rural crime and I simply could not be more proud of the way in which the Dorset Rural Crime Team are doing everything they can to crush these disgusting practices.

“This operation has been a huge success in terms of disrupting criminal activity within the area, increasing confidence within the community and bringing offenders to justice.”

To report a rural crime anonymously, including hare coursing, livestock or machinery theft or industrial fly-tipping, call CrimeStoppers on 0800 783 0137 or visit www.crimestoppers-uk.org.

To report non-urgent crime, or any suspicious incidents to Dorset Police, please go online to www.dorset.police.uk/contact-us.