Police Drone Program Captures Poachers in Action
A new volunteer drone initiative has led to the apprehension of individuals poaching pheasants with catapults.
A groundbreaking police initiative using trained volunteers and drones has successfully apprehended individuals engaged in poaching pheasants. The program, described as a first of its kind, captured three men firing catapults at wild birds from a Honda CR-V on private land in the Linkenholt area of Hampshire.
The drones, operated by volunteers who received specialized training, recorded the incident on October 7. The footage showed one of the men injuring a bird before the group fled the scene, leaving tire tracks in a crop field. This marks the first documented instance of this drone volunteer scheme leading to an arrest.
Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary launched the pioneering drone volunteer scheme earlier this year. The volunteers were able to locate and film the poachers using their drones shortly before 5 p.m. after the vehicle trespassed on farmland. The men were observed shooting ball bearings at wild birds from within their car.
The vehicle also caused damage to the crop field as it drove across the private land, leaving behind distinct tire marks.
Following the incident, police identified and tracked down the driver of the vehicle. A 29-year-old man from Dibden Purlieu in the New Forest admitted his involvement and received a Community Resolution. This requires him to complete a victim awareness course. He was also issued a Community Protection Notice Warning (CPNW). If he reoffends, he faces a full CPN, which could lead to arrest and further prosecution.
A spokesperson for Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary stated that the drone footage was instrumental in identifying the offenders. The spokesperson added, "This incident shows in real time the value that our volunteers bring in spotting rural crime and helping us identify the offenders. Our message to rural criminals - we have eyes in the sky, and we are watching you."
The drone volunteer scheme was funded through a collaboration involving Test Valley Borough Council, North Wessex Downs National Landscapes (NWDNL) Farming in Protected Landscapes, and the Hampshire & Isle of Wight Police and Crime Commissioner Donna Jones.