Police are working alongside NFU Scotland and other industry groups to tackle crime in rural communities in Angus, as well as to enhance crime prevention.
As part of the Angus Partnership Against Rural Crime, officers will be conducting a range of activity alongside 12 local and national organisations.
The partnership seeks to tackle offences such as theft of agricultural machinery, vehicles, tools, livestock or fuel; and arson, housebreaking, fly tipping and vandalism.
As well as NFU Scotland, the collaborative approach will involve the support of Forestry and Land Scotland, British Horse Society and Heritage Scotland, among others.
Police Scotland Inspector Mahboob Ahmad said the county was "often a target for criminals in our rural communities".
He said that flying tipping was a particular issue, and for the next 12 months, police and relevant partners would be carrying out patrols in key areas to tackle the crime.
“The personal impact that becoming a victim of crime has, along with financial loss can be devastating to people, particularly if farming equipment, fuel or livestock is targeted.
"There is no doubt that having a co-ordinated approach will make a real difference," Inspector Ahmad said.
“It is often perceived that rural communities are easy targets, but Angus is not a safe haven for criminals.
"I want to reassure residents and landowners that if you are affected, please report it to us and we will take action."
A spokesperson for NFU Scotland welcomed the partnership, warning that rural crime continued to impact on farmers in the region.
The union added that it was 'hugely important' for farmers to report all cases of rural crime, including theft, to the relevant authorities.
“At a national level, we work closely with the Scottish Partnership Against Rural Crime (SPARC) to ensure our members concerns are heard and the positive steps we are taking towards reducing rural crime in Scotland continue.
"At a regional level, we also encourage our members to be as involved as possible with the many regional PARCs established in Scotland in this case Angus PARC.
“We are taking rural crime very seriously and these are the best platforms to give and receive up-to-date information on criminal activity at a local level.”
