Students are addressing rural crime in Wales through a new 'Virtual Volunteers' programme, focusing on farm machinery theft by organised crime groups.

Dyfed-Powys Police is pleased to announce the launch of the latest crime problem programme to be addressed by student, ‘Virtual Volunteers’ at the University of South Wales (USW).

The programme is based on rural crime, with a particular focus on the theft of farm machinery by organised crime groups.

The programme was authored by Alicia Edwards, a student at Bangor University who is researching rural crime for her doctorate. Dyfed-Powys Police consulted with Deputy Chief Constable, Nigel Harrison, North Wales Police who is the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) lead for rural and wildlife crime with regard the programme.

Chief Inspector Dominic Jones, Dyfed-Powys Police Central Prevention Hub said: “Any student at the University of South Wales can now volunteer for the force through engaging with this pernicious crime problem that is of very real concern to the rural communities we serve. Students consider the many complexities involved in a crime of this nature, undertake research into the subject and are then encouraged to address the challenging questions raised within the problem.

“Each student volunteer upon completion of the programme receives a letter of appreciation from Chief Constable Ifan Charles in recognition of their contribution.”

The Virtual Volunteers programme at USW has already offered students the opportunity to address a range of other crimes, such as the cultivation of cannabis in abandoned properties, romance fraud, money laundering and Artificial Intelligence enabled crime.

In the very near future, students will also be asked to suggest novel and innovative solutions to the crimes of tech-enabled abuse of women and girls, which has been authored by the National Centre for Violence Against Women & Girls and Public Protection (NCVPP), NPCC.