Yorkshire & Lincolnshire

The dead hare pictured by the helicopter camera

Now the police are stepping up their action… Humberside are even using the force helicopter to track down and film the criminals.

Video taken by the police can provide vital evidence.

Inside Out sees film of an incident involving a group of men with dogs and a hare.

The footage can be used to trace the vehicles involved as well as to identify the men and the dogs.

Protected species

South of the River Humber just outside Goxhill, the helicopter crew see a group of five men who watch as their dogs chase and then tear apart a badger.

The helicopter films police stopping a suspect

The animal’s body is then dumped in a ditch.

Badgers are a protected species and killing one can lead to a six month prison sentence.

Sergeant Dave Jenkins of Humberside Police: "The helicopter is a vital part of our armoury.  It means we can get the evidence we need to get these criminals prosecuted."

In this case, although a file was submitted to the Crown Prosecution Service  the case was dropped because of insufficient evidence.

Villains

In Lincolnshire, Wildlife Crime Officers PC Nick Willey and PC Nigel Lound have no helicopter to call for help, they have to rely on information from local farmers to track down the criminals.

PC Lound: Poaching is a huge problem

The farmers and gamekeepers complain that the poachers are aggressive, and that they trash crops, damage vehicles and steal farm equipment and tools.

PC Nigel Lound says "Poaching is a huge problem for people in the countryside and the people who do it are villains, they don't care about damaging property and they don't care about trashing crops."

So now with the increased use of modern technology including the police helicopter, it’s clear that the police are taking the problem of poaching in East Yorkshire and Lincolnshire very seriously indeed.