A gem of an idea has been devised by police to crack down on criminals selling stolen jewellery.

Calderdale police has come up with the Jewellery Watch project - based on the force's Thumbprint Scheme - to target the sale of stolen goods.

When anyone tries to sell items at participating jewellery shops in Calderdale, they will be asked to provide a thumbprint. It will be recorded in a register along with the seller's details for reference.

Should a false name and address be provided, the print could help trace the supplier.

The scheme is believed to be the first of its kind in the country.

Jeweller Glyn Foster, of Marsden's Jewellers in Brighouse, said: "We have had people coming in trying to sell stolen things but they usually stand out.

"If anybody comes in selling anything we want to buy, we will now have a thumbprint alongside a name, address and other details.

"I think it will be an effective deterrent and hope it will stop us being targeted by criminals.

"We haven't used it yet, but at the moment people are buying for Christmas."

The scheme was introduced following an increase in burglaries where jewellery was being stolen.

Police hope that if criminals cannot get rid of the jewellery, they won't steal it.

Detective Superintendent Marc Callaghan, Crime Manager for Calderdale, said: "We are hoping our new scheme, which we believe to be the first of its kind in the country, will deter potential thieves and speed up investigations when crimes are committed.

"This is an innovative idea, which I am sure both retailers and customers will support. People who buy items from jewellers who participate in the scheme can have confidence that the things they are paying for have not been obtained by inflicting misery on others through burglaries, bag snatches and thefts.

"A large proportion of crimes do involve stolen jewellery. This causes immense grief and upset for the owners, not just because of the cost of the items taken, but more often because of their sentimental value."

As well as the thumbprint scheme, there will also be a voicemail system to send messages out to all jewellers in the area so they are updated on a daily basis about stolen property to look out for.

The innovative scheme is now being looked at in Aberdeen, Stoke and parts of London.