An operation to stamp out a rise in rural crime in Angus and Perthshire has led to a string of arrests.
Additional night-shift patrols, plain-clothes and roads policing officers all contributed to a “significant reduction” in offences in the past four weeks.
Police say a dozen men were arrested in connection with incidents across Angus and Highland Perthshire.
The area commander for Angus said tackling the crime spree became the highest priority for the force locally and pledged officers would continue to focus on rural areas.
Chief Inspector David McIntosh revealed the division’s “acquisitive crime group” – formed previously to tackle trends in housebreaking and high value vehicle theft – was appointed to take charge of the initiative, along with Angus Local Policing Area (LPA).
An Angus Rural Watch project was also launched to complement the existing scheme in Perthshire.
Farmers and gamekeepers were put on red alert following a spate of thefts and vandal attacks which struck the normally tranquil Angus Glens.
Several estates at Glenesk suffered break-ins with the most recent involving the daylight theft of items such as welders, generators and power saws from an outbuilding belonging to a farmer.
Following an incident in Brechin, five males from Dundee were arrested in Arbroath.
A further four males from Angus were also arrested on a separate occasion for different offences.
Following a series of crimes in the Blairgowrie and Strathardle areas of Perthshire, roads policing colleagues arrested another three males.
Mr McIntosh said: “I can confirm that in the first quarter of this year and into the start of the second, there was a considerable rise in reported rural crimes in Angus.
“The same rise was experienced in neighbouring areas of rural Perthshire.
“The issue became one of the highest priorities for the division.
“All of the arrests were a consequence of police proactivity and are pending prosecution,” he added.
Mr McIntosh said there had been “a significant reduction in rural crime” in the affected areas in the last four weeks.
However, he insisted householders and businesses had to take steps to protect themselves.
“There remains a need not to be complacent and to encourage our rural communities to take steps to secure valuable property and report any suspicious activity,” he said.
Conservative MSP for the North East region Liam Kerr said the local police should be “commended for their swift and apparently effective action”.
He said: “I contacted Chief Inspector David McIntosh recently following a spate of thefts and vandalism on Angus Glens estates.
“Residents and landowners have been rightfully concerned over a surge in crime, in areas which are normally tranquil places to live and work.
“Mr McIntosh very quickly responded to me, and reported that there had been a considerable rise in reported rural crimes in Angus and neighbouring Perthshire.
“He said the issue was now of the highest priority for Tayside Division of Police Scotland.
“I am satisfied to note a number of schemes have led to a reduction in rural crime over the past month.
“However, anyone who is unsure of their safety can now contact the new Rural Watch initiative in Angus, and should heed Chief Inspector McIntosh’s advice over what steps people can take themselves.”
