Yesterday afternoon (17 November) police received some intelligence around a potential large-scale hare coursing event that was expected to be carried out throughout the county.

To get on the front foot, the northern Neighbourhood Enforcement Team (NET) based in Winchester were mobilised to conduct high visibility patrols around the county. Their aim was to intercept any activity and respond quickly to any calls for service from any rural communities affected.

NET teams are highly visible units that are deployed to carry out proactive targeted work, including patrols, disruption and enforcement.

Over the course of the day and into the evening, the team maintained a visible presence throughout the north of the county, including paying attention to the Faccombe area.

Later in the evening officers received a report that a farm in the Stockbridge area had suffered damage to gates and padlocks, and a number of dead hares were found left in the area. 

At the time it wasn’t known exactly when this had occurred - enquiries are ongoing to establish this wider detail and investigate further.

Thankfully, no other calls for service to respond to hare coursing were received yesterday. 

During patrols, the NET officers engaged with local residents and also deployed the police drone to conduct a visual scan of rural areas from the air. Police in Hampshire also remained in close contact with our neighbouring officers over the border in Wiltshire, to share information and prepare for any calls from the public.

Inspector Cath MacDonald said: “We recognise the level of fear and concern that is rippling through rural communities at the moment. This is in part due to the time of year, as this is when coursers, poachers and other rural criminals are particularly active, but also in light of recent incidents including a serious assault in the Faccombe area last month.

“Our plea is to keep reporting information to us. Any intelligence you may have, sightings of suspicious vehicles or people, or any crimes that have been affecting you. Please tell us everything so we can develop the bigger intelligence picture and take action.

“Last night’s police activity is just one example of where we can mobilise the right units in the right areas quickly in direct response to what our intelligence picture is telling us. 

“Other police units such as neighbourhood police teams and our specialist Country Watch team have conducted a number of proactive operations and patrols this season, which have seen suspected rural criminals disrupted and pursued out of the area. This will continue – and the more we know, the better placed we are to deal with these criminals effectively.”