Police in Devon and Cornwall are calling on the farming community to help them crack down on rural crime – and especially on the theft of quad bikes.

Operation Newmarket has been launched to encourage improved communication between officers and farmers, who are being asked to report all suspicious vehicles they spot in their local area.

These vehicles often call at farms asking for scrap metal and batteries, but are thought to be on the look-out for quads and other items of value.

It is hoped the information provided will help build a picture for officers regarding which vehicles and persons are active in the countryside, and may well lead to other lines of enquiry.

PC Simon Aldred, a member of the Operation Newmarket team, said: “We know that farmers have felt let down by what they have felt was a lack of interest from the police, and we hope this initiative can help.

“Operation Newmarket will provide a single point of contact for the rural community, and will help us tackle these crimes more effectively. We want all unknown vans and vehicles to be reported to us quickly and accurately, allowing us to build a picture of exactly what is going on, and to help us effectively tackle this type of crime.”

Anyone wishing to report a suspicious van or vehicle to the Operation |Newmarket team should email operationnewmarket@devonandcornwall.|pnn.police.uk, or call 01392 226063.