Specialist thieves are targeting vulnerable livery yards in the Bradford area to steal expensive horse tack, police have warned.

Officers are now urging horse owners and yard bosses to tighten up security before they become the next victim of the criminals.

The warning follows a burglary at a livery yard at Ladywell Lane, Liversedge, last week. Owner Lydia Graham, 28, offered a £500 reward after saddles, bridles and other horse tack, valued at about £4,000, was stolen.

Miss Graham said she was now installing CCTV cameras and high-security floodlighting.

Police revealed there had been another recent raid at a farm in Hunsworth Lane, East Bierley, Bradford, when a barn was entered and a £200 saddle was stolen.

PC Martyn Lee, Neighbourhood Policing Team co-ordinator for Batley, Birstall, Birkenshaw and Spen Valley, said there was a demand in certain quarters by criminals for equestrian items, though it seemed to be a niche market.

PC Lee said livery yard owners and people with stables needed to boost their security.

He said: “Typically, we find very little security at these places. Some measures can be deemed to affect the welfare of the horses.

“But there are people out there who specialise in stealing tack from stables and livery yards, because they can get a whopping price for it on the black market.

“There are relatively few of these places around and without proper security you are on borrowed time if you have not been targeted by thieves.

“We would say to owners that you can’t be too careful. In these tough economic times it is more likely that thieves will be at work.”

PC Lee said that CCTV, security lighting and infra-red cameras were good deterrents to criminals. Padlocked gates were also likely to keep out villains using vehicles.

He added: “If they are determined to take something which is of considerable weight, they will use a vehicle, so owners have to think about how easy it is for someone to get access.”