Modern Mysteries

Surge in crop circles sparks police appeal in Wiltshire, England

By T.K. Randall
June 11, 2025

Image: Inside a crop circle, Alton Barnes, Wiltshire, England (file photo)
Credit: Rodhullandemu / CC BY-SA 4.0 (adapted) Back in the early 90s, crop circles became something of a global phenomenon with mysterious patterns and shapes springing up in fields in countries all across the world.

At the time, the popularity of shows such as The X-Files saw a sustained uptick in interest in the unexplained, with many associating crop circles with UFOs and extraterrestrial visitors.

While today, some people remain adamant that crop circles have unearthly origins, it is generally accepted that the vast majority have been created by humans rather than aliens.

Even so, the subject does still command a degree of intrigue.

Most recently, police in the English county of Wiltshire put out a general appeal to the public asking for people to come forward and report any crop circles that they happen to come across.Much of the concern is due to the damage that crop circles can do to the fields of local farmers.

"While they might look impressive, creating a crop circle without the landowner's permission is criminal damage," Wiltshire Police said in a statement.

"These acts can cause serious short and long-term damage to crops and fields and may also attract further illegal activity."

Landowners who do find a crop circle in one of their fields are being urged to erect "no public access" signs if they don't want members of the public traipsing over their land to come and see it.

Those who don't mind visitors, meanwhile, have been advised to speak to their insurer as they will be responsible for the health and safety of anyone who happens to step onto their land.

Exactly how many landowners will actually encourage such visits, however, remains unclear.

Source: BBC News

Tags: Crop Circle