Police investigate widespread hare coursing and damage across county

Police are appealing for information after a large-scale hare coursing gathering disrupted communities in Fordham, Ely, Prickwillow, Littleport, Welney, Chatteris, Manea, Wimblington, and Doddington over the weekend. A vehicle linked to the incidents has been seized and is undergoing forensic examination, with hundreds of images submitted by the public to assist in identifying those involved.

Superintendent Ben Martin acknowledged the distress caused to residents, stating: “We understand the damage, concern, and fear these incidents have brought to our rural communities and are sorry we were unable to do more to stop the activities of these people at the time.”

A force-wide dispersal order was issued due to limited intelligence ahead of the event. However, Martin explained that the scale of the incidents, occurring across multiple locations, combined with a demanding weekend for the force, stretched resources. “We didn’t have the resources available to deal with every report we received from members of the public,” he said.

To address community concerns, police and the Police and Crime Commissioner are meeting with local residents, councillors, and the MP. The investigation has already led to action in the Ramsey area, where two men involved in hare coursing were stopped. One received a community protection notice, and the other a community protection warning, before both were dispersed from the county.

Martin added: “We want to reassure the community that we are committed to policing our rural communities. We continue to appeal to the public for any information they may have—CCTV, dashcam footage, or doorbell footage—that can help us identify these individuals.”

Anyone with information is urged to email [email protected] or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111 or via www.crimestoppers-uk.org.