Stolen horses and suspicious sightings update

[HHO admin]

Dear forum users

Following the recent spate of text messages and web chat carrying inaccurate stories about horses being stolen, suspicious men being seen etc, PLEASE only posts details if you have personally seen individuals acting suspiciously or have a crime number regarding the theft of a horse. Please do not post just because you have received a text claiming that something has taken place. Obviously everyone is feeling very vulnerable to the current time and wants to share any suspicious sightings etc, but the high levels of inaccurate information currently doing the rounds is not helping anyone.

HHO Admin

 

[JenniferScott]

Voices for Horses has just posted a BHS press release about this on their site:
http://www.voicesforhorses.co.uk/news/re...e-vigilant.html

 

[eatos]

Unfortuntely these texts are true and confirmed. These men were sighted and reported to the police yesterday in berwickshire/scottish borders. They were using false plates. From the rest of the texts it seems they are coming up the east coast of Scotland in a white transit van, taking photos during the day and stealing horses during the night.

 

[byways]

I have informed Cumbria Police of the txt and emails and they are aware of problems in other areas of the country- so sadly this seems to be true.
I have recieved a txt tonight reporting the same white van and suspicious photographing of horses at Stainton Village near Barnard Castle.
Please pass any info on to police.

 

[charlotte162]

apparently two more horses were stolen, one grey from epping & one horse form chingford,
south east?
has anybody elses heard about this?

 

[carys220]

Apparently? Do you have proof? Did you read the original post in this thread?

 

[hazluvtad]

hello ! please anyone who reads this , tell as many people as u know to spread these words especially to the people with stolen horses! ... their is a 90% chance the horses that have been stolen are going to be at appleby show( these horses that have been stolen are mostly all cobs remember) the gypsys that have stolen these horses dont have a passport or insurance for it so they can only pass this horse on to another gypsy and there most definetly going to be at appleby. soo please if you love your horse that much you would go and have a good look! dont let these horrible unthoughtful gypsys get away with stealing your horses! the show is on all weekend and started yesterday i think!

thanks .x.x.x

 

[carys220]

They won't be selling 'stolen' horses on the streets like all the others. They will never see the light of day Appleby - they will sold from box to box. The people who have stolen them aren't stupid and the police will be there with pictures of all stolen horses.

 

[herondell]

there not going to end up at appleby there is too many police and rspca inspectors there and thousands of people gypsys only intrested in the good 13.hh to 13.2 very heavy feathered stallions or mares i have shown my partner who is a gypsy what people have been saying about its prob gypsys for appleby he just shakes his head and says thats what peole think staight away they do have rights you know its being racist you would not be saying that if it was black people there is good and bad in all walks of life and him and his family go every year he should know

 

[jules59]

I agree. I was speaking to someone yesterday who knows a very nice gypsy family. She asked them if they could shed any light on all this as they had had ponies stolen and they were saying that they had heard that the horses/ponies that are being stolen are being sold in france? And as you say, there are good and bad in walks of life!!

 

[markrachas1]

I have recieved information via friends and the information has been confirmed by police that the suspicious activities are now in the Monmouthshire / Gloucestershire area. A woman I know went to see her horse this morning and it had been injured - upon calling the vet he has confirmed that the injuries look like a vehicle has driven into her and is adament that this is what has happened. I am posting an email that was sent to me (I will blank out the number plates in case it is not correct)

"Hi all,

I’m sure a lot of you will have already been contacted in some form or other about this, but it’s important that as many people as possible know what is going on – it could be your horse (heaven forbid), please keep your eyes open and report anything you not sure about.

There have been 3 sightings of 2 suspicious men with eastern European accents photographing local horses.

This could be a steal to order gang. The men have been seen at shows; events and even in horse owners field taking pics.

They have been seen in
a white VAN Reg
Red Land Cruiser.
Blue Golf
Silver people Carrier Irish Plates


More updates of these people photographing horses and acting suspiciously are coming in all the time.

The Police have just phoned us to update us after their investigations into a report of men and the N reg white van and red four wheel drive (land cruiser/land rover has been mentioned) photographing horses in LLanishen yesterday.

The owners gave chase to the vehicle but could not get the registration and unfortunately they got away.

The Police have just told us that yellow arrows have been marked on the road to the horses in Llanishen.

Also, last night Caldicot Police were given reports of a van fitting the description acting suspiciously in the Tintern / St Arvans area.

The chap who had his 2 foals stolen last year is going to see the man in Llanishen today to find out the details of exactly what happened yesterday. I'll let you know of anything else I hear.

The Police have passed it on to intelligence to see if it has any links to a number of horse thefts. They seem to be taking it very seriously around here at least.

Please spread the word.

Police are treating this as suspicious, so please contact them urgently if you see anything."

 

[byways]

All these post ref Appleby Fair-Have you actually been- anything will be sold there, and by 4pm Sat the big meat wagons pull in and take loads of decent horses away!
The Rspca try their best, but in my opinion if you see what they "accept" in treatment towrds horses, its poor to say the least!
As for the police, they want to get through the week with as least hassle as possible, so they are not going to put them selves out looking for stolen horses!!

Regarding suspicious sighting- Stainton Village, Barnard Castle, this week- Confirmed! ask the police.
Also please dont Tar every body with the same brush as there are some teriffice horse men there, tainted by a few scum bags.
Go and see and make your own mind up.

 

[Weezy]

THERE ARE SUSPICIOUS SIGHTINGS BEING REPORTED *EVERYWHERE* BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE DESCENDING INTO MASS HYSTERIA - THIS HAS ALL GOT TO STOP

SIGHTINGS of men with European accents - no, that wouldn't be a *sighting* because how can you tell what accent a person has by looking at them

Stick to facts, and facts alone and I only contact the Police if you have a DAMN good reason - someone driving slowly along your lane is not a reason IMHO.

 

[Zebedee]

THERE HAVE BEEN ABSOLUTELY NO MULTIPLE HORSE THEFTS IN THE UK AS FAR AS ANY POLICE FORCES CAN ASCERTAIN.
(Yes I am shouting..........)

I am of the opinion now that these texts are nothing more than malicious scaremongering. Please everyone stop forwarding them.........I got about three today & a quick call to a friend in the police force confirmed that they were all a load of rubbish.

I was going to ask admin to sticky a thread of this nature......I wish all posted would read the content & accept that the only thing that seems to have any basis in fact is the repeated sightings of the Red Landcruiser & White Transit.

 

[Weezy]

[ QUOTE ]
.... Red Landcruiser & White Transit.

[/ QUOTE ]

Probably belonging to a poor farrier and a feed merchant

 

[Zebedee]

We actually own a vehicle with XAJ as part of the reg no!!!

 

[carys220]

I have been to Appleby and no, they will not sell 'anything' will be sold there. And animals that are not sold are generally taken on t the next fair. The RSPCA and Police are out were they are allowed, not on the actual fields, and have been successful in finding stolen horses there before now.

As for the post about a van fitting the description(i.e. White transit van) acting suspiciously...have you ever seen a white van man drive?

I'm pretty fed up of this now.

 

[markrachas1]

Hi All -
The email was forwarded to me by someone I know who owns a tack shop - she was visited by the police herself - so this has not come via cousins aunties sister or anything like that - I have spoken to the police in the area I live (Monmouth glos borders) who have confirmed that there are problems in this area at present.
Appleby fair - there are good and there are rotten !!!
The good have had it spoilt for them by the sh*ts who are wannabe's... If you were to talk to a proper travelling family who own horses I can guarantee you that the horses would be well cared for and looked after, however there are a few wannabes out there who want nothing but the image!!! and they have spoilt it for the rest. As in all walks of society you can not tar with the same brush, every white person would be classed as Fred or Rose West!!! Every black person would be up on attempted rape charges like R Kelly.. We can not judge a majority because of the minority!
Appleby can be sick to watch but it can also be great! No different of course to horse racing - if you had stood at the course and seen a horse have to be destroyed due to injuries it had obtained whilst racing - would all irish jockeys be vile individuals and racing cruel?
unfortunatley this all happens - support it or dont - it is an individual decision...

 

[Cuffey]

If so many horses have been stolen why are they not up on the Stolen horse Register www.stolenhorseregister.com
They can be added as soon as there is a crime number and description
Apollo the only horse reported stolen in the last week on the register has been found dead in an old well in his field--owners did not know of wells existence

 

[markrachas1]

I dont know why they are not on the stolen horse database - but some horses that I have 100% known to go 'missing' in the past are also not on there - there was a spate a year ago of some coloured foals stolen and they also are not on that database - i think it must be up to the owners to put their horses on there and not everyone is aware of such things I am guessing - I have to admit having been a horse owner all my life it is only in the last few days I have been made aware of this database!

 

[carys220]

[ QUOTE ]

Appleby can be sick to watch but it can also be great! No different of course to horse racing - if you had stood at the course and seen a horse have to be destroyed due to injuries it had obtained whilst racing - would all irish jockeys be vile individuals and racing cruel?
unfortunatley this all happens - support it or dont - it is an individual decision...

[/ QUOTE ]

Yes racing is cruel and jockeys are vile individuals!

 

[bluey]

we live in the midlands and we have been told by the police that it has happened in our area these vehicles are involved so we are being extra careful.

 

[carys220]

I think the police are scaremongering now too?

 

[donablue]

well if that is the case then about them been sold in france then thats not a very good life for them as you know were they will be going! i pray and hope that no more get stolen and defo not mine and that these people are brought to justice...up near me theres a resuce centre whos rescueing horses from france to stop them going to the butchers!!! i just hope that these so called men horse thieves are stopped!

 

[karenpi]

We had an email at our yard today stating that horses had been stolen in Heckfield, Hampshire last Thursday. But none of the local yards know anything about it. My saddler was at both Wellington Riding and Rycroft Stables and they knew nothing. Also friends at a couple of big livery yards are not aware of horses actually being taken.

Its right for people to be concerned as people APPARENTLY have been seen in the Pangbourne, West Berkshire area driving slowly around, looking at horses in fields. And if it makes everyone take more precautions, then that's not a bad thing either.

But until someone can prove that horses are definitely being taken, via genuine police sources, all you are doing is causing hysteria.

 

[Weezy]

Karen you are right, NO HORSES have been stolen under these suspicious circumstances.

I have to say that I am very wary that loads of newbies are popping up and saying "I know so and so"....is this just to continue the hype

jjay - The Midlands Police have said WHAT exactly? What have they told YOU, directly? WHAT is happening in the area?

 

[Cuffey]

There are still a number of police forces unaware of Horsewatch and the Stolen Horse Register but horses can be moved out of an area so quickly it is really important for missing horses to get a Crime Number and description and be added to the national list as soon as possible when the details and pics are sent to everyone who registers in the system.
I am in Scotland where we do not have Horsewatch
A foal stolen in Biggar Lanarkshire was added to the Stolen Horse Register and was found in Cheshire when a lady became suspicious of a young boy caring for a motherless foal. She checked the register and the foal was returned to its dam
The system definitely helps but some unfortunately do disappear permanently
Perhaps some of us should be asking --how our police force would deal with a horse theft?

 

[carys220]

[ QUOTE ]
well if that is the case then about them been sold in france then thats not a very good life for them as you know were they will be going! i pray and hope that no more get stolen and defo not mine and that these people are brought to justice...up near me theres a resuce centre whos rescueing horses from france to stop them going to the butchers!!! i just hope that these so called men horse thieves are stopped!

[/ QUOTE ]

if the horses where just going for meat then why would they be apparently stealing them to order?! D'oh! It would obviously be easier to sell a horse than was stolen in the UK abroad rather than risk it being spotted!!!

 

[markrachas1]

I have actually spoken myself to the Police in my area - this is the Gloucestershire force and have been told that there have been incidents near Gloucester - they did not say if it was horses taken or just suspicious vehicles - I do have to admit that from time to time I have stopped on the side of the road to say hello to a horse - be it in a field or being ridden!
I wouldnt steal it however!!!! nor am i part of a huge organised gang - so I can see how it all could be blown out of proportion. However my friends mare was definately injured by a vehicle in her field and we had reports issued by police the day prior to this incident about the yellow arrows on the road!
Surely these horses are not going to France - if the reports are true about the horses being stolen it all seems to be coloureds - that to me suggests steal to order rather than steal for meat...
Been to check my lad twice a day and my mum is keeping an eye on him too - better safe than sorry - however if this has brought anything good from it - people are alot more aware and alot more safety and security concious..

 

[jules59]

You and me both!