Police have formed a new squad to tackle thefts of stones from homes across the Shipley and Bingley districts.

And their first task is to urge householders to mark their stone with indelible paint.

Officers - who have set up a special four-man squad in Bingley to tackle the thieves - say marked stone will be easier to identify when recovered.

The advice follows a spate of thefts of valuable Yorkshire stone.

Bingley Police Inspector David Drucquer, the man behind the new squad, said: "We have a problem with identification when we have recovered stone. If people can mark their stone with indelible paint, unique to them, that would be a great help.

"We set up this special team three weeks ago and will continue with it until such time as we have controlled the problem. We are going to positively attack it.

"We have certainly had some success. Numerous arrests have been made and people charged with offences while others are on police bail pending further enquiries.

"It's a problem in the West Yorkshire area but particularly here in Bingley, Saltaire and Shipley. The type of stone being taken is valuable dressed stone, coping stone, stone slates and barn roofs.

"Even cemeteries are not immune from it though I find that particularly obnoxious. It beggars belief that they should do such a thing.

"There have always been stone thefts but in the last few months it has increased as a means of gaining a quick remuneration for these gangs who are locally based in the main. There is a ready market for it."

He said that despite recent success in arresting members of the gangs there was a problem identifying recovered stone and he wanted the public's help in returning it to its owners.

He urged people to ring 999 if they suspected a crime was being committed and to take the car's registration number.

The only people generally seen legally removing stone were council officers and professional builders.

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