A VIDEO just released by North Yorkshire Police shows rural crime officers visiting a farmer to discuss what safety measures he could take to safeguard his stock and property.

Wildlife officer Gareth Jones and PC Rob Davies talk to the farmer - who could be any one of hundreds of similar farmers across the county and the Dales - about simple and practical steps to avoid being a victim of crime.

The video, released to coincide with a new Rural Crime Prevention booklet, was launched last week to farmers at Bentham Auction Mart.

It follows consultation with the public, who made it clear they wanted rural crime to be a police priority, and is also part of the force's cross-border operation targeting travelling criminals.

Rural crime has also been identified as key issue by Police and Crime Commissioner, Julia Mulligan, following her consultation with the public.

It includes advice on a wide range of rural issues - from keeping livestock safe, to marking pet dogs and horses, to what people should do if they come across snares or traps while out in the countryside - or spot what they think might be a poacher.

The advice is pretty straight forward, but effective:

Don't leave tractors, quad bikes and trailers in fields or in yards where they could easily be stolen.

Keep valuable equipment away from public roads, where they could be seen by thieves scouting around looking for something easy to steal and sell on.

Where possible, such equipment should be kept locked away in a garage or building, and if that is impossible, security lighting should be considered - there are also anti-theft devices, such as trackers, alarms and immobilisers.

Horse boxes are also an attractive target for thieves, along with horse tack, and the horses themselves.

The advice to horse owners is to keep up to date photographs of their horses, taken at all times of the year and from all angles. Horses - and ponies - should also be identified by freeze-marking, hoof marking, or by having a microchip inserted.

Tack, often left in insecure buildings, should be recognised as the hugely valuable item it is. Saddles, bridles and rugs should be electronically tagged, stamped with the postcode or microchipped, and lists should be kept with all the identification details.

Horse boxes, trailers and wagons should be kept in well lit areas close to houses, and fitted with wheel clamps, which should also be used at shows and events.

Every effort should be made to keep hedges, fences and gates in good repair. Field gate hinges should be capped, to prevent easy removal, and any sign of tampering should be reported immediately to the police.

If you see fly-tipping in progress, also contact the police straight away - and don't attempt to approach those responsible. Details of the exact location, and the vehicle's registration number, should be passed to both the police and to Craven District Council, or the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority.

Dogs, especially if they are un-neutered, are also at risk of being stolen, and owners are advised to consider having them neutered, to reduce the risk of them being stolen for breeding purposes.

Dogs should also be microchipped, collars should be worn when out in public, and owners should think about varying their walk times and routes.

Under the Hunting Act 2004, it is an offence to hunt wild mammals with dogs, unless the hunting is exempt - such as the hunting of rats or rabbits with dogs, and when the person doing the hunting has the permission of the landowner.

It is possible to come across poisoned carcasses when out - these are used as bait to entice a wild mammal and can be highly toxic, causing death to dogs and any other unfortunate animal, and birds of prey. Such carcasses should be left well alone, covered and details of its location reported to the Pesticide Safety Directorate and to the police.

It is also possible to come across traps and snares in the countryside. There are laws in place to control their use, but walkers who believe they are being wrongly used, should report their location to the police.

Similarly, concerns about badgers - a protected species - being killed, mistreated or injured, should be reported, and anyone wanting to work on a building or structure where there are bats, should first contact the wildlife officer.

Suspicious gangs of people with dogs should also be reported to the police, and not approached. Not only could they be after animals, they could also be up to other criminal activities.

Assistant Chief Constable Paul Kennedy said North Yorkshire was a safe place to live and work and the intention was to keep it that way.

"Unfortunately, because of the rural nature of the county, local communities can sometimes fall prey to criminals taking advantage of this," he said.

"The Rural Crime Prevention booklet is a great source of information, demonstrating how people living and working in our rural communities can take some simple steps to help prevent themselves becoming the victims of crime."

And he urged everyone in rural communities to take a few minutes to read the advice in the booklet, and where necessary, take action to prevent themselves from becoming the victims of criminals.

He added: "Intelligence is key to helping criminals out of the county. If anyone sees any suspicious activity they should contact the police straight away. We would rather attend an incident and not be needed, rather than having to investigate a crime later."

Electronic copies of the booklet are available on the North Yorkshire Police website northyorkshirepolice.uk/rural crime, to watch the video visit youtu.be/XuKXJERE7xk

.