POLICE in North Yorkshire have unveiled an initiative designed to foil criminals who have been targeting the equestrian community.

About £150,000 worth of tack was stolen from stables around the county in the first three months of the year alone.

Saddles can cost £700, and because riders tend to look for comfortable ones, can take time to replace.

Police have had some success bringing the culprits to court but officers are hoping a new scheme, which was launched at the Harlsey Show at the Yafforth Equestrian Centre, near Northallerton, on Saturday, will help deter thieves.

The Richmond Community Safety Partnership has teamed up with Saddle Safe, which can install a hidden microchip in tack.

Unique information contained on the chip is kept on a database, which will help police identify recovered stolen property at the touch of a button.

Harlsey Show secretary Lynn Adams said: "Officers have access to the database so they can return any stolen property they have recovered promptly, but we're hoping the scheme will make thieves think twice before they come to the area in the first place.

"The database also includes digital images of equipment which has been tagged so there can be no doubts.

"The electronic tags are only as big as a grain of rice, so they are not easy for the thieves to find and remove."

She said Saddle Safe would issue alerts on the Internet as soon as something had been stolen.

It is hoped that if enough people express interest in the scheme, the price can be reduced to £15 for each tag purchased.

The Saddle Safe scheme is not limited to tack, because farmers and landowners can take advantage of the new technology.

Tags can be used on equipment such as quad bikes and trailers.

Anyone interested in finding out more about the Saddle Safe initiative, can telephone (01609) 789390.