Feed theives on my yard! How to catch them out and find out who

[stacey_lou]

Over the last 7 weeks I have noticed my feed, carrots, Apples and Haylage going missing but it seems Im not the only one!

In the last month I have gottom through 2 almost on number 3 bags of feed and 2.5 bags of chaff for a horse who has 2 feeds a day with 1scoop of chaff and 1/2 mix. Usually we get through 1 bag of mix in almost 3 weeks and in 3 weeks i have gotton through almost 3! Thats 1 bag a week its a joke,! My halage is going like there is no tormorrow and its now gotton to the point where feed is going missing from my ponios pre mad tea and Dinner bowls which i place in side my feed bins so mice cannot get to them!

I mean how desperate does someone have to be! My girlie always have a good supply of carrotts and now shes loosing out on them!

My YO says there isnt a lot she can do even though it is steeling but I dont know how to prove whos doing it and tbh I cant even think who would.

Any ideas oh and I am making a locable feed bin this weekend with my dad but its besides the point!

 

[Kat]

video camera/webcam hidden in the feed room?

If there is always staff/YO on the yard could they lock the feed room and keep the key on them so that people have to ask to be let in?

wet paint on the handle of your feed bin?

 

[Spottyappy]

Petty isn't it? Not much you can you, unless you can place a covert camera somewhere, if the yard owner would let you? Imagine the YO feeds your horses for you, so the bins need to be open? otherwise, tie them up with bale twine, several lots wrapped round and round over the lid and round any handles and sides to make it a really obvious you've done it,and then anyone would also need to have the time and instrument to cut the string.

 

[Boxers]

Write a note to the thief and put it inside your feed bin. Say that you are watching and may set up a camera if the theiving continues. Might shock them to know that they are being watched (even if they're not).

 

[ISHmad]

Mouse traps inside the feed bags maybe? Not nice I know but would serve the thieves right!

I'd get them locked up asap or if not take your feed bins home and just take each days feed over with you in a bag. Really pees me off when people they can just take what belongs to other people.

Your YO should be a little more proactive than just throwing her hands up and saying there's nothing she can do. It is theft taking place on her property when all is said and done!

 

[BobbyMondeo]

I would puta video camera somewhere that isnt too obvious and dont tell anyone about it. then when someone takes your stuff it will be on tape

 

[Moggy in Manolos]

That takes the piss.

I have suspected my hay being used before now but its so hard to prove and find the culprit.

As suggested either a camera or tying up well with twine.
I tend to re-tie up my hay once I have taken what I need for the day.

 

[3BayGeldings]

[ QUOTE ]
Write a note to the thief and put it inside your feed bin. Say that you are watching and may set up a camera if the theiving continues. Might shock them to know that they are being watched (even if they're not).

[/ QUOTE ]


i like this idea ^

 

[Moggy in Manolos]

[ QUOTE ]
Write a note to the thief and put it inside your feed bin. Say that you are watching and may set up a camera if the theiving continues. Might shock them to know that they are being watched (even if they're not).

[/ QUOTE ]

That's a marvelous idea, could try that

 

[LadyRascasse]

[ QUOTE ]
Write a note to the thief and put it inside your feed bin. Say that you are watching and may set up a camera if the theiving continues. Might shock them to know that they are being watched (even if they're not).

[/ QUOTE ]

nar forget that just put a note that says "smile your on camera" even if you don't have a camera set up!!!

 

[TequilaMist]

You could try putting a high energy feed in and wait to see whose horse goes loopy!

TBH EVERY yard I have been on has had this problem.My feed is now locked in a big wooden box that friend got.Before that used a large old chest freezer got OH to put a hasp on then padlocked it.Have even chained up buckets but this was a pain for me unravelling chains each time wanted to make feed and not foolproof.Was even on a yard once where it was the YO that was nicking the feed!!!!
It a thing that really annoys me bloody thieves!!!

 

[TicTac]

Padlock your feed bins! get somebody to drill a little hole to enable you to put a padlock through and see if you can also buy a lockable container to put your haylage in?

It's not nice when somebody pinches your stuff . If people can;t afford to feed their horses then they shouldn't have them!

Failing that any bl@@dy method you can think off to catch the thieving bar steward!!

 

[stacey_lou]

I know silly isnt it! I may go with the note but at the same time Id like to know who I can and cannot trust, I wouldnt mind if someone borrowed a scoop from time to time and told me but its steeling and I hate that!

Im making a feed bin I can padlock this weekend but as i do not drive taking feed with me everyday isnt really an option.

 

[Enfys]

I would go with the note first of all, and you CAN make it as rude and accusatory as you like, if someone IS going in your bins they are hardly likely to bring it to your attention are they?

Well, not unless they are truly witless anyhow.

Plus, I would make a bit of a public song and dance about it to other liveries. Not naming names, or suspects, but just bring it into the conversation and make them aware that you have noticed feed going missing and that the YO knows about it, ask them if they are having the same problem.

 

[Colleen_Miss_Tom]

Happens at nearly every yard, I have a so called friend who is at our yard, She has been taking my haylage, She really does think I was born on the moon

Thankfully she is leaving the yard tomorrow to take her horse home .
And this still was going on whilst I was doing her a favour and feeding her horse every morning

.... obviously not in the morning

.

I would be putting a note in your feed bin along the lines of ...

" BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING YOU, LEAVE MY FEED ALONE"

I would also get a bunker type storage unit and lock my feed in if it continued .

Annoys the feck out of me all this stealing feed and haylage

Col x

 

[cellie]

http://www.venduct.co.uk/products/feedbin.html
heres nice feed bin

 

[happihorse]

It is totally unacceptable but to be honest I would just get a locable container and keep all your stuff seperately, secured away.

Do they borrow your tack as well?

 

[Sarah Sum1]

This is why i bought feed bins with locks on them.

 

[alfirules]

how annoying! An idea to catch them is to put chimes or bells under the lid so when they open it it makes alot of noise and if you or YO was there you could see who it was.

 

[Echo Bravo]

Keep your feed at home and take down as you need it.

 

[Mickeymoo]

make a smiley face our to carrots on top of your feed, or write a message saying F.Off so when they open the lid they see it.

 

[Pedantic]

Live bare 240 volt cable inside feed bin, the charred remains of the theiving shite will be able to be identified by their dental records, hopefully, if not who cares no more theiving anyway

, or soak feed in Red Bull and watch to see who's horse Bronco's around the Yard

 

[toteymote]

This happened on our yard a while ago and it is so annoying! It turned out she was stealing off a lot of people in our block and YO had an idea of who it was so we all put up signs but she carried on so we bought a feed bin you can lock and YO had the idea of tying the twine back up on the hay after you had taken out whatever you needed which helped a lot as she just used to grap a slice or two when she was walking past and she didn't want to faff around with the twine as it took a lot longer and could have got caught! Have you got a trailer or box you could store your things in?

 

[RobinHood]

A sign inside the feed bin might be enough to stop them as they'll know you're watching out for them. "I know who you are and I resent paying for your horse's feed as well as mine, buy your own!" or something ruder?

Failing that put a dead rat inside the almost empty sack so they won't see it, they'll just feel it when they reach in.... the scream should give them away!

 

[Bojangles]

My oh made me a big box for the fed as I was going though 2 and half bags of good doer, two bags of sugar beet and nuts too!! Ive only got one horse!!!! Since locking it up my feds are lasting so much longer!!

 

[Gucci_b]

I'm prob going to get shot down for saying this but.... who ever is stealing your stuff "feed" may be tight for money at the money, but still has to feed her horse, not nice i know and they should ask, but they might be a little embarrassed and might think that you can afford it more than the others on yr yard, so they can't see any harm is taking some of your feed.... cus why else steal from another person I had the same problem on a yard, where my feed ect ect was going bit by bit, i put it down to one person who lost their job blar blar blar, but their horse still had to be fed, would have been nice to ask me for some feed rather than steal from me, and i would have feed their horse for them untill they got them selfs sorted

 

[WishfulThinker]

We had this happen to us. Came to the point where I had ot make up his feed in bag and number and tie them. That way no one could mess with it.

It was also handy as you just poured it out into his bowl.

It seems it was a girl whos parents were loaded, but they had been complaining about how much the horse was costing!!

 

[piebaldsparkle]

Set a mouse trap on your feed, then you can identify the theirf by the screams/or broken fingers!!

 

[Gingerwitch]

Not being an alarmist here BUT - this happened on my current yard last winter - so i did the same as you locked everything - tied my hay up with about 100 peices of charilie band and basically booby trapped my feed.......

One night i was rather worried about my old girl - so popped to the yard late - about 9.30pm - surprise surprise - she had NO hay left ! the sodding theif had taken it out of the stable!

I made such a fuss- very very loudly and made sure the person I was pretty confident whom was taking it new how angry I was and got OH up with some ladders and pretened to have CCTV fitted in my block (with YO's permission of course).

It stopped straight away for me. No re-ocurrance this year as the person we all suspected - but could not prove left in November - YIPEE!, so moral of the story is ..... whilst you do not want your stuff pinched, so will do most things to prevent this.... the next stage could be your horse going hungry cause the barstool is taking it out of your stable and THAT MAKES ME REAL ANGRY and if i had caught them I would be in jail now and they still would not be walking!

 

[Gingerwitch]

Pedantic - wish you were on my yard, we could have soo much fun !