POLICE are receiving a helping hand from rural residents as they target criminals in Northumberland.

Operation Recovery has seen officers make arrests and recover stolen property after burglaries in rural communities.

The initiative, which started last summer, puts residents at the heart of Northumbria Police activity.

People are encouraged to report suspicious activity on their doorstep - especially when strangers and unfamiliar vehicles are seen isolated locations and at odd hours.

Superintendent Mick Paterson said: "Since the operation got underway we've been able to successfully utilise the great public spirit of our Northumberland communities - with people keen to help protect their local neighbourhoods from crime.

"People are now ringing in to police with information about any suspicious activity which they've seen. By acting on this additional intelligence together with our policing activity we have been able to prevent crime, recover stolen property and make arrests.

"Most importantly we've been able to increase the public's confidence in how we police their communities.

Local people knew that police acted quickly on information passed on to them, said superintendent Paterson.

"This provides extra reassurance to victims of crime.

"We also make sure we fully update callers with what we've done and how the information they've given us has helped."

"We want people to know we value their help and support and that it does make a real difference to how we police their community.

Northumbria Police and Crime Commissioner Vera Baird said making sure rural communities received the police service they needed was a priority.

"It is essential people have confidence in the police and know that information they pass on is fully used to best effect to help tackle crime.

"It is important that people also get regular feedback about any crime they report or information they supply to help officers.

"This operation shows how much police rightly value this assistance and the real difference it makes in keeping communities safe."

Police officers regularly tap into the intelligence held by neighbouring forces, sharing information about travelling criminals and those they need to target.

This knowledge is used to send police resources to patrol areas where they are most needed and can be most effective.

In addition to regular patrols and crime prevention initiatives, police also use covert operations to obtain evidence about criminal activity.

Supt Paterson added: "We want to send a clear message to criminals who may think they can exploit rural communities - they're not welcome here."

"We will employ the necessary resources to find out who they are launch an investigation against them to track them down and bring them before the courts."