MOORLAND farmers, worried by a growing number of raids on livestock and implements on their farms, are working with police to set up a new farm and countryside watch group.
Thousands of pounds worth of animals, tractors, quad bikes, and horse tackle has been stolen in a vast area of the North York Moors National Park.
More than 30 farmers, many of whom had suffered thefts of livestock and equipment, met in the village hall at Carlton, near Helmsley, to hear how the scheme could work.
PC Ray Thwaites, the Helmsley area community officer, said the system would enable farmers to alert each other if they saw suspect vehicles, because rural areas were particularly attractive to thieves, many of whom made a career out of theft and raids.
"They know there are no CCTV systems in the countryside and that they can travel around virtually unnoticed" added PC Thwaites.
The aim was to divide the moorland area into four sections - Carlton, Ampleforth, Sproxton and Rievaulx - with a lead co-ordinator in each.
Insp Neil Burnett said: "Farmers are very trusting about equipment, but there is a whole underclass of people, often from the Middlesbrough, York, Leeds and Hull areas, who will travel into the countryside to steal."
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