Sugarplum Furry
Well-Known Member
copied from The Argus site
A rider has told how her husband was beaten unconscious by horse rustlers.
Martin de Sutton arrived at his horses' field with wife Vanessa to find two men had smashed locks off the gates and were stealing their two animals and valuable equipment.
Mr de Sutton confronted the pair and was punched unconscious by one of the men.
The men then drove the couple's car to the edge of the field before heading off in different directions in separate vehicles.
Mrs de Sutton, 22, said: "It was a horrible thing to happen.
"We want other people with horses to be aware there are thieves out there attempting to steal them."
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The couple, who live in Brighton, first noticed something was wrong when they arrived at the field, next to the Kingston roundabout, near Lewes, at 6pm on Tuesday.
They spotted the men and when they confronted them were told they were looking "for Charlie's field".
When the couple told them they were in the wrong place, one stepped forward and landed a hard punch on Mr de Sutton's head.
Mrs de Sutton said: "It knocked him unconscious and then one of the men drove our car to the edge of the field so we couldn't get away quickly.
"He hopped out and they got in different cars and drove off in separate directions.
"My husband didn't want to go to the hospital after he came round and he said he was okay.
"But we rang the police who came down to take fingerprints and to investigate.
"I think people should be on their guard about people like this.
"I reckon they were going to take the horse trailers and possibly the horses too if they could have caught them but we discovered them before they could."
The horses and trailers are worth thousands of pounds.
Mr and Mrs de Sutton had fitted heavy-duty locks to the gates leading into the field.
Figures show in the past 11 years, 55 horses and ponies have been reported stolen in Sussex.
There have been 16 reported cases of criminal damage to such animals.
Sussex Horse Watch said horse crime was not common but warned people to be on their guard.
Carol Clift, from Horse Watch, urged people to report horse crime or suspicious activity on its website - sussexhorsewatch.org.
She said the reports would then be distributed via text and email to farmers and horse owners across the county.
Mrs Clift said: We have the odd incident but it is not too bad.
"They key thing is for people who are advertising horses for sale not to give out the location.
"That is where we have experienced problems."
The National Farmers' Union said horse theft was not as common as it once was thanks to modern techniques of branding and security marking.
However, a spokesman warned theft of equipment was still common.
He said: "Equipment associated with keeping horses is very valuable and, unfortunately, is still targeted by thieves.
"Instances of horses being taken in Sussex and elsewhere is generally pretty uncommon now but not unheard of.
"We would recommend people use stout security measures wherever possible."
A rider has told how her husband was beaten unconscious by horse rustlers.
Martin de Sutton arrived at his horses' field with wife Vanessa to find two men had smashed locks off the gates and were stealing their two animals and valuable equipment.
Mr de Sutton confronted the pair and was punched unconscious by one of the men.
The men then drove the couple's car to the edge of the field before heading off in different directions in separate vehicles.
Mrs de Sutton, 22, said: "It was a horrible thing to happen.
"We want other people with horses to be aware there are thieves out there attempting to steal them."
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The couple, who live in Brighton, first noticed something was wrong when they arrived at the field, next to the Kingston roundabout, near Lewes, at 6pm on Tuesday.
They spotted the men and when they confronted them were told they were looking "for Charlie's field".
When the couple told them they were in the wrong place, one stepped forward and landed a hard punch on Mr de Sutton's head.
Mrs de Sutton said: "It knocked him unconscious and then one of the men drove our car to the edge of the field so we couldn't get away quickly.
"He hopped out and they got in different cars and drove off in separate directions.
"My husband didn't want to go to the hospital after he came round and he said he was okay.
"But we rang the police who came down to take fingerprints and to investigate.
"I think people should be on their guard about people like this.
"I reckon they were going to take the horse trailers and possibly the horses too if they could have caught them but we discovered them before they could."
The horses and trailers are worth thousands of pounds.
Mr and Mrs de Sutton had fitted heavy-duty locks to the gates leading into the field.
Figures show in the past 11 years, 55 horses and ponies have been reported stolen in Sussex.
There have been 16 reported cases of criminal damage to such animals.
Sussex Horse Watch said horse crime was not common but warned people to be on their guard.
Carol Clift, from Horse Watch, urged people to report horse crime or suspicious activity on its website - sussexhorsewatch.org.
She said the reports would then be distributed via text and email to farmers and horse owners across the county.
Mrs Clift said: We have the odd incident but it is not too bad.
"They key thing is for people who are advertising horses for sale not to give out the location.
"That is where we have experienced problems."
The National Farmers' Union said horse theft was not as common as it once was thanks to modern techniques of branding and security marking.
However, a spokesman warned theft of equipment was still common.
He said: "Equipment associated with keeping horses is very valuable and, unfortunately, is still targeted by thieves.
"Instances of horses being taken in Sussex and elsewhere is generally pretty uncommon now but not unheard of.
"We would recommend people use stout security measures wherever possible."
