25/09/2025
RURAL CRIME | We have received intelligence to suggest that a large gathering of people suspected to be taking part in an illegal poaching and hare coursing event is possibly due to take place between Thursday 25 September and Sunday 28 September 2025.
This event is reportedly due to take place somewhere in the area of Horton, Sixpenny Handley and the A354 into Wiltshire or Hampshire, although this could change.
Officers have been liaising with our fellow colleagues in neighbouring forces as our intelligence suggests that activity related to this event could cross borders into the Wiltshire and Hampshire counties.
We would like to reassure members of the local community that we have extra resources ready to be deployed in the event of reports being received.
We would ask farmers and agricultural workers in our rural communities to remain vigilant and report any suspicious incidents to us via 101 or the Dorset Police website. Always dial 999 if a crime is in progress. If you’re not sure it’s a crime, we’d rather hear from you and decide that ourselves.
You can help secure your land and property by doing the following:
• keep the boundaries of your land and property well-maintained and secure, looking closely at the perimeter to ensure it is as secure as possible
• make sure gates cannot be lifted off or have their fixing bolts removed
• invert and cap gate hinges, making sure fixing bolts are secure and use covered padlocks
• check security equipment regularly to ensure it works properly
• use locking posts or temporary obstructions to control wide access points to your land e.g. large tree trunks, rocks, ditching and earth mounds
• establish a single gated entrance and exit, removing all private access points that are not in use (if possible)
All incidents of illegal activity should be reported to the appropriate authority as soon as possible. If you can, make a note of any vehicle details and a description of the people involved.
Always consider your own personal safety first before approaching anyone you think might be doing something illegal.
