Suffolk Constabulary recently announced they would be increasing police patrols in the rural areas of the county.

We spoke to Inspector Liz Casey to discover what prompted this decision and what this means for people living in rural communities.

The main motivator behind the increase in patrols is to "cast the net wide" in both preventing criminal activity and responding to crime.

"These areas are so vast, it can take 45 minutes to drive anywhere," said Inspector Casey.

East Anglian Daily Times: Liz Casey has been the locality inspector for Halesworth for four months.Liz Casey has been the locality inspector for Halesworth for four months. (Image: Jamie Honeywood, Newsquest)

"We want to reassure the community that we care, we're visible and we're out there.

"So we'll have more vehicles patrolling and officers will be out there speaking to people."

Quick to reassure the public that these patrols aren't a response to one particular incident, Inspector Casey said they are simply "reaching out as far wide as they can".

"We get feelings from conversations with people in the community that they're frustrated with not being able to get in touch with Suffolk police," she added.

"So we're trying to push the message to more people out there, asking them to talk to us."

The increased patrols are being trialled for a short period to test its success across Lowestoft, Southwold, Felixstowe, Woodbridge, Framlingham and Halesworth - amongst other rural areas.

Recently, a national study by farm insurers NFU Mutual revealed a growing rural crimewave with thieves targeting farm tech.

East Anglian Daily Times: Debenham farmer Glenn Buckingham whose combine's GPS was targeted by thieves.Debenham farmer Glenn Buckingham whose combine's GPS was targeted by thieves. (Image: Glenn Buckingham/Julian Cooksley)

One Debenham farmer warned that thieves had cut through 11 bolts to a secure store in order to access his Global Positioning System.

However, once inside, they couldn’t find what they wanted to steal and left empty-handed.

East Anglian Daily Times: Troston farmer Shane Worger had 50 of his pigs stolen.Troston farmer Shane Worger had 50 of his pigs stolen. (Image: Charlotte Bond, Newsquest)

Troston farmer Shane Worger wasn't as lucky however, as 50 of his gilt pigs were stolen under the cover of darkness on Saturday, August 5.

It is the second time his pigs have been targetted and the farmer was also left to pick up the tab when thieves stole equipment from his yard earlier this year.