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Police warning after spate of crop circles in Wiltshire countryside

POLICE have responded to a recent spate of crop circles appearing in Wiltshire fields.

Officers said a number of the circles have been reported in recent weeks, with pictures posted online of crop circles in the Avebury and Sutton Veny areas.

“While they might look impressive, creating a crop circle without the landowner’s permission is criminal damage,” a spokesperson for the Wiltshire Police Rural Crime Team said.

“These acts can cause serious short – and long-term damage to crops and fields and may also attract further illegal activity, including: Unlawful drone use, aggravated trespass, and opportunistic theft from nearby farms and buildings.”

The National Farmers’ Union (NFU) says creating crop circles is “unfair, irresponsible, and illegal – it damages someone else’s property”.

READ MORE: Farming news from your Salisbury & Avon Gazette

“Trampled crops often can’t be harvested, which impacts the farmer’s livelihood,” the NFU guidance said.

“With global food security under pressure, this damage has broader consequences.

“Crop damage from crop circles can cost farmers significantly, especially during the busy growing season.

“Visitors drawn to crop circles often make things worse – parking in gateways and walking through crops, causing further harm to the land and the environment.”

Police urged landowners to report any crop circles to the via 101 or online, whether or not they plan to allow public access or claim on insurance.

They also advised people who do not want people entering sites to post ‘No Public Access’ signs.

READ MORE: Crime news from your Salisbury & Avon Gazette

2 Comments

  1. David Wallace Reply

    This is staggering what sort of world is this ? Crop circles which may cost a few pounds to the farmer,but to criminalise them is typical of a police state type reaction.
    Talking of “With global food security under pressure,”..shows what lack of argument / problem there is here in attempting to raise a crop circle to the level of “world food crisis”!
    Its an annual summer event, a small inconvenience to a single farmer at worst.
    The police and NFU are moronic and dangerous in this sort of attitude this is how we become a police state.
    Enough of taking things out of proportion to bring in control for its own sake, its a crop circle and thats all it is

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