The National Sheriff’s Association says high prices and record inflation are behind a recent uptick in rural thefts.

Kiernan Donahue, a leader with the association, tells Brownfield as a result they are increasing patrols in rural areas. “A lot of these folks are hitting the rural areas because there’s not the presence of law enforcement that we have in our urban areas,” Donahue said. “They take advantage of that.”

Donahue says suspects have been stealing copper wire from farms with pivot irrigation systems.

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