Statistics Canada released rural crime numbers earlier this year stating that rural crime was 36% higher than urban crime across Saskatchewan in 2017.

But what about during harvest? Is there an increase in crime while farmers are out spending long days in the field trying to finish before the inevitable winter.

Media Relations Officer with the RCMP; Corporal Rob King, says he's not too sure.

"Not so much a recognizable trend that we've seen. If people aren't in the yard and they aren't there, naturally their property is more at risk. People living in rural Saskatchewan are generally away from their yards during the day and the evening, not just during harvest. We are seeing, in fact, a slight decline in rural crime across Saskatchewan over the last year".

Rural crime is down by about 3% over the last year and Cpl. King thinks he knows why.

"A lot of that is due to all of the town hall meetings and things like that that we've been holding, people getting more educated, people actually looking more and calling more if they see something unusual. They're watching their neighbour's places where as there may have been a time where people weren't doing that so much the last few years."

There is no evidence that rural crime is up during harvest, and although numbers are slowly decreasing, it's important to remain cautious.

"Farmers and anyone in general; if you have it – lock it up, chain it up, make it so that it's more difficult to steal," says King, "You spent a lot of money to purchase property and to purchase items, protect it."