Road safety issues.

Issued 14 April 2026

This is a priority for the next 3 months. We have identified this based on feedback from local residents, crime data, and ongoing concerns in the area.

We’ll publish an update in the coming months to let you know what we’ve done, what progress has been made, and what’s next.

Actioned 14 April 2026

Wildlife crime issues.

Issued 14 April 2026

This is a priority for the next 3 months. We have identified this based on feedback from local residents, crime data, and ongoing concerns in the area.

We’ll publish an update in the coming months to let you know what we’ve done, what progress has been made, and what’s next.

Actioned 14 April 2026

Drink/drug driving.

Issued 14 April 2026

This is a priority for the next 3 months. We have identified this based on feedback from local residents, crime data, and ongoing concerns in the area.

We’ll publish an update in the coming months to let you know what we’ve done, what progress has been made, and what’s next.

Actioned 14 April 2026

Wildlife crime issues.

Issued 03 February 2026

Police have issued a Community Protection Warning to an individual involved in poaching in the local countryside. This includes illegal activity such as poaching, lamping and hare coursing. A Community Protection Warning sets clear conditions that must be followed to stop behaviour that harms local communities. The warning applies across seven police force areas. This means the individual is not allowed to travel to other counties to continue this behaviour in rural areas.

To help protect local communities, warning signs have also been provided in areas where poaching is reported most often. These were supplied at the request of local councils and are intended to warn and discourage people from entering these areas to carry out poaching.

We continue to work closely with local councils, residents and our partners in the Rural Task Force to tackle wildlife crime and protect rural communities.

Actioned 23 March 2026

Farm equipment thefts.

Issued 03 February 2026

Officers carried out high‑visibility patrols over several days, focusing on suspicious vehicles in remote and vulnerable rural areas. This included routes that are often used by criminals.

We also worked closely with Sussex Police during a joint cross‑border operation to tackle farm equipment theft and share intelligence. This led to a number of vehicles being stopped, useful information being gathered, and added reassurance for people living in rural communities.

Property‑marking events are taking place across the district. We encourage farmers and landowners to have their equipment marked, as this helps deter theft and makes stolen items easier to identify and return.

Following concerns raised about a farm in Ruckinge linked to rural crime, and information suggesting stolen items were being stored there, officers carried out checks at the location. During this visit, two stolen Land Rovers were found. The vehicles had been stolen from outside the area, and the investigation is ongoing.

Actioned 23 March 2026

Road safety issues.

Issued 03 February 2026

Ashford Community Safety Unit officers are carrying out regular, high‑visibility patrols across the district to improve road safety and tackle traffic offences.

Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras are being used to identify uninsured and unlicensed drivers. This follows concerns raised by local residents and information reported to Crimestoppers.

In February, two vehicles using suspected cloned number plates and linked to drug supply failed to stop for police in the Hamstreet area. One vehicle was involved in a collision and the other was abandoned. Both vehicles were seized and removed from the roads. Three people were arrested as part of a wider drugs investigation involving Kent and Sussex Police.

Officers have also been patrolling the Sevington Inland Border Facility following concerns about damage caused by lorries. During this work, a search of a heavy goods vehicle led to the seizure of illegal tobacco and a large quantity of cash. Two men were arrested for excise and importation offences.

We will continue to patrol and take action to keep our community safe.

Actioned 23 March 2026