Farmers and police in the Gisborne region will take a neighbourhood watch approach to counter the growing incidence of stock rustling on the East Coast.
Federated Farmers Gisborne-Wairoa president Hamish Cave says reports of stock thefts range from a dozen or so, up to hundreds.
Police, farmers, and other rural community representatives have agreed to co-ordinate their efforts to stem it.
Mr Cave says it's hoped to have small community groups headed by a coordinator who are linked by email.
He says the community coordinators across the region will be linked to the police station and will be able to receive and pass on any information about suspicious vehicles, something like a neighbourhood watch scheme in a rural area.
He says farmers need to be more proactive in reporting stock thefts to the police.
Mr Cave says farmers will also bring police up to speed on procedures used for identifying and tracking the movement of livestock.
Stock agents and transport operators will also play their part in the coordinated effort to crack down on rustling.
