HORSE owners and riders are being invited to events to help protect their property from criminals who target stables and tack rooms.

Officers will be offering a free tack marking service at the Horse Sale at York Auction Centre in Murton on Friday, June 28, from 10am to 2pm.

Later in the year, on Saturday, October 5, officers will also be at R&R Country in Hemingbrough, from 10am to 2pm.

Tack can be an attractive target for criminals. Using “dot peen” property marking technology, items can be marked with a unique number, deterring thieves and making it much easier to reunite stolen property and secure convictions.

PCSO Caroline Saville, of North Yorkshire Police, said: “Marking items of metal and leather tack is an effective way of deterring opportunist criminals. They will see the permanent unique number, and know immediately that the equipment would be too difficult to sell on. If the worst happened and you were targeted, we are much more likely to be able to trace marked property and return it to you.

“Our property marking service is fast and free, and can be used on items of tack you have just bought, so please make a note of the date and come along on the day.”

Dot peen marking involves using a tungsten carbide-tipped pin to indent an object with dots to create a visible, permanent number. The unique number will be entered onto the national Immobilise property register database, vastly increasing the chances that it will be reunited with its owner if it is lost or stolen. (Synthetic tack or padded bridles cannot be marked using dot peen).

Contact your local Neighbourhood Policing Team or Rural Taskforce officer to find out about the service in your area.