Targets of rural crime are being asked to share their experiences as part of fresh research hoping to show the government the extent of on-farm criminal activity.

Farming families are being questioned on how these acts have affected them and if they have any inclination on who it is behind these crimes.

The survey, from Harper Adams, is available online and is focused on activity within the last 12 months.

Rural crime cost the UK close to £53 million last year with GPS units one of the main targets for countryside bandits.

MORE NEWS | Defra announce new commissioner position for tennant farmers

MORE NEWS | The NFU have accused the treasury of promoting false figures

Quad bikes and ATVs also appeal to rural thieves with NFU Mutual reporting a 9% increase in insurance claims, totalling an estimated £3.2m.

Dr Kreseda Smith, rural criminologist, who has been tackling rural crime for several years has launched the study as a way to understand the toll these acts are having on farmers’ mental health.

She said: "There are some questions relating to the impact of crime on their mental health, and so these may be distressing for victims and their families.

“Previous research has shown that there is a clear link between agricultural crime and its effect on farmer mental health.

“Such effects include anxiety, lack of sleep, and depression, all the way through to more extreme responses - including suicidal thoughts and behaviour.”

Dr Smith is director of the wider Rural Resilience Research Group at Harper Adams, which is tasked with monitoring potential risks to food chain resilience, a category that rural crime falls within.

She hopes that this study can illustrate the true extent of the issue to policy makers and make it a priority given its steady rise.

She said: “Most research focuses on property crime, such as theft of tractors or livestock, but the impact of organised criminality is felt much wider in terms of crimes committed, and the short- and long-term effects of such crimes.”

Dr Smith suggested that evidence points to rural crime becoming more organised, with statistics outlining an increase since the mid-2010s.

“The challenge for us as criminologists is to create a collective bank of evidence to underpin calls for rural and agricultural crime to be recognised as serious organised crime by key stakeholders and to ensure it is resourced and supported properly.

"This survey will go some way to adding to this evidence," she explained.

The online survey is open to anyone over 18 working in the agricultural sector and is submitted anonymously.