URGENT 2 Stolen Bridgewater

[Sugarplum Furry]

Last night (11th july) two stolen from a field in Dunweare Lane, Bridgewater.

15 hh bay mare, 15 years old, show jumper, very tempramental, can be dangerous with strangers, microchipped.

Welsh sectin A gelding, grey.

The lock was smashed off of the gate, there are visible tyre tracks of a trailer in the field. police informed, crime ref no.78436/08.

Any info or sightings please contact 07775856247, or phone Bridgewater police.

Photos of horses to follow shortly.

 

[chloe1985]

Bridgwater is only down the road from where Blue was taken on Thursday 10th July. I've been told there are two horse fairs going on tomorrow - Usk and Slough. I'll be at Slough and Blue's owner will be at Usk. We'll keep our eyes open at both locations for all 3 horses but if anyone else is going, we'd appreciate the help.

 

[Sugarplum Furry]

Thanks Chloe. No photos have come through yet.

 

[chloe1985]

I'll check again in the morning for photos before I head off - they'd make life much easier tomorrow!

 

[DougalJ]

Just reading your post Chloe and wondering whether you should mention that you are going to these horse fairs? If these "low-lifes" are clever enough to steal this poor horses, they might be checking internet forums like this! We've got to be one step ahead of them. Often thought if reading some of these postings whether it gives them too much information sometimes. Very difficult though because we need to have this information to be vigilant! Catch 22. Very very best of luck in tracing these ponies - must be heartbreaking..

 

[JM07]

stolen horses/ponies DONT end up at horse fairs...sorry but you are wasting your time....

IF this pony is still in this country..more than likely its in Ireland by now...it certainly wouldnt surface as soon as this at a horse fair..

 

[BlackDiamond]

You could be crediting the theives with too much intelligence JM..

 

[JM07]

i'd doubt that VERY much....

these people are well versed, and are far too devious to advertise the fact that they have/had stolen ponies..

a horse fair/sale would be the last place they'd take an animal so soon after it was stolen...

i'd doubt if this was just a random, spur of the moment theft either..

 

[chloe1985]

Where do you think they'd go JM if not horse fairs? If there's the slightest possibility of Blue and the others being in the country, it's worth exploring all avenues where people can sell horses quickly and to me that says horse fairs?

4 of us went to Slough Horse Fair today (Usk was cancelled) and searched but to no avail

Didn't see him or any of the other stolens. We're going to another one next week so fingers crossed

 

[JM07]

[ QUOTE ]
Where do you think they'd go JM if not horse fairs? If there's the slightest possibility of Blue and the others being in the country, it's worth exploring all avenues where people can sell horses quickly and to me that says horse fairs?

******in answer to your first question..holding areas/out the way fields/barns.ready for transportation..as i said in an earlier post..ireland would be a good bet..change of identity...and sold back again...yes they do come back over..as a "different" pony..

horse fairs??...why on earth would it be taken to such a public place???*********

4 of us went to Slough Horse Fair today (Usk was cancelled) and searched but to no avail

Didn't see him or any of the other stolens. We're going to another one next week so fingers crossed

****you say you didnt see any "stolens" today...thats because they arent there..****

****where are you trying next week?? Ledbury??****

[/ QUOTE ]

 

[EMWSanctuaries]

It isn't the open selling though is it, it's the dealing, lorry back to lorry back tha tgoes on, horse fairs and auctions. thing is a horse gets pinched from Wales on Friday and by Saturday may well be in Ireland but it'll have gone through several different deals by then.

 

[dozzie]

According to what I have heard JM is not far off the truth. They are shipped out to holding places, ( I have heard Wales) then Ireland . Then when the heat has died down they come back with a new identity.

I think Bristol is one of the ports that is used to ship to Ireland but when things get tricky they move upcountry. I dont know how true that is, it is just what i have heard.

I think the fact you have informed the ports is important but not sure how effective it will be. Ports dont routinely scan for microchips as far as I am aware and dont have the info easily available to check stolen horse registers. A freezemark could easily be covered up or altered with the right equipment.

Nevertheless I dont blame you for looking as you are. I would do the same. And whatever anyone says about it not being worth it, you have to try dont you?

I hope they are found safe and well and returned to their rightful owners.

 

[chloe1985]

The posters for Blue have made it to Ireland via internet forums, as well as all over the UK. We're hoping desperately that wherever he is, he'll become too hot to handle and be dumped. Until then, we'll keep going to the fairs, however much of a long shot it is, just in case.

 

[Sugarplum Furry]

Ports don't check for anything. I did a bit of digging about last year, questioned some horse transport companies and came to the conclusion...and I'm sure it won't come as a suprise....that the ports are are a MASSIVE loophole in the whole horse theft business.

The most that the transport companies I spoke to have ever been asked for at the ports is the number of passports they are carrying, and then that's tallied with a rough headcount of the horses in a trailer or lorry. That's it....no scanning, no checking of freezemarks or matching horses to passports.

I spoke to Stena and they pointed out, quite rightly, that it would be a logistical nightmare to start unloading horses at the docks to process them. They have no secure place where it might be done. Although, they do have Min of Ag (Ithink that's who they are) people there spot checking cows and sheep and all their relevant paperwork.

There are horses falling through what could be a vital safety net, we need to put pressure on the ports to rectify this, otherwise what on earth is the point of getting a horse freeze marked or chipped in the first place???? I know of someone who's horse was stolen and went to Ireland and back TWICE, and then once more before being recovered in Ireland.

 

[PeterNatt]

Stolen horses are sold at auctions or markets and normally within a few hours of being stolen. In many circumstances off the back of the lory rather than in the auction ring itself. Yes go to the markets. Stolen horse normally change hands a number of times within a few hours so that the thieves can not be identified.

The best chance of recovering a stolen horse is if it is Freezemarked as anyone can identify it. A freeze marked horse has a 99% chance of being recovered where as a non-freezemarked horses chances are less than 5%.

 

[oofadoofa]

OMG! I'm really worried now, I'm not far away from there!

 

[neondwarf]

I wouldn't worry as apparently these horses were not stolen and were back in their field within a couple of hours of this being posted. Owner obviously hasn't posted to this effect but I have seen the horses as I live on this road.

It is thought that they possibly strayed and were returned, not too sure of full story yet.

 

[JM07]

i'd heard that too...apparently someone "forgot" to lock up!!!!???

 

[chloe1985]

Great news that they're home, lets keep our fingers crossed for the other stolen ones