THEFTS of farm machinery have halved following the introduction of a SmartWater campaign, crime figures show.

It was introduced by Richmondshire Police last autumn and officers have sent out 300 kits to farmers in the district.

The chemical, which cannot be seen with the naked eye, is used to security-mark machinery and tools. The details are recorded on a database to allow recovered goods to be returned to their owners.

Police vehicles are fitted with scanners to detect traces of the chemical on recovered stolen items and on the bodies and clothing of suspects.

Sergeant Matt Foale, from the neighbourhood policing team, said the theft of machinery was is down by 50 per cent from last September.

He said: "The criminal fraternity is on to SmartWater and they do not like it."

Prisoners arriving at North Yorkshire police station custody centres are routinely scanned, and the tiniest traces of SmartWater can lead officers to a particular crime scene.

The neighbourhood policing team secured £13,000 of funding from Richmondshire Community Safety Partnership to buy the kits and equipment.

The crime figures for Richmondshire show that violent crime continues to rise.

Police say the incidents are often alcohol-related The partnership is working with licensees to address the issue.

Schemes such as anger management courses are also being held.

New licensing laws and CCTV are thought to be helping the situation.

The number of domestic violence incidents is also rising, but police say this could be down to a campaign to encourage victims to report attacks.

More speed traps have been set up across the district.

But there has still been a rise in the number of fatal and serious injury accidents, the report shows.

Lynda McDougall, community safety manager for Richmondshire, said: "It doesn't matter what we do, the law of averages seems to dictate that occasionally people are involved in road collisions."

Thefts of cycles is a continued problem in the district, particularly around Catterick Garrison and Colburn.

A cycle security marking scheme will continue in 2006-7.