Warning for breakins around hampshire!

[SNORKEY]

Hi, im an Equine liason officer for Hampshire police, just thought id let the Hampshire peeps on here know that there have been a number of tack thefts about, so please keep everything valuable at home, unless its locked up very well, however locks havn't been stopping who ever it is!

The South around the Southampton area is the latest to be hit

Remember to mark all these new rugs your buying with your Postcodes in nice bold paint, and keep an eye out for any one suspisious and report (number plates are very helpful) them to the police on 101 if you can.

 

[suzi]

i was selling some second hand tack at a local show today.

Was speaking to some people who bought stuff and they've just been broken into. They are in Fleet area.

 

[BBH]

Hi, im an Equine liason officer for Hampshire police, just thought id let the Hampshire peeps on here know that there have been a number of tack thefts about, so please keep everything valuable at home, unless its locked up very well, however locks havn't been stopping who ever it is!

The South around the Southampton area is the latest to be hit

Remember to mark all these new rugs your buying with your Postcodes in nice bold paint, and keep an eye out for any one suspicious and report (number plates are very helpful) them to the police on 101 if you can.

Thankyou for the warning.

As a Police Officer could you please explain to me what consitutes a ' theft' as I am frustrated over two recent incidents which I perceive to be theft and the police consider to be 'civil dispute'.

Firstly about four months ago my saddle was stolen from my yard by someone who I knew and I was told by Winchester police station there was nothing they could do as the person could turn around and say I'd said they could have it.

Secondly we gave circa £600 worth of rugs to a local freelance rug cleaner / repairer and she has failed to deliver them back and is not answering her phone. This person, unbeknown to us, has a history of this and again we were told it is a civil matter. We have receipts.

How can it be that people can thieve from you and nothing is done.

 

[SNORKEY]

Thankyou for the warning.

As a Police Officer could you please explain to me what consitutes a ' theft' as I am frustrated over two recent incidents which I perceive to be theft and the police consider to be 'civil dispute'.

Firstly about four months ago my saddle was stolen from my yard by someone who I knew and I was told by Winchester police station there was nothing they could do as the person could turn around and say I'd said they could have it.

Secondly we gave circa £600 worth of rugs to a local freelance rug cleaner / repairer and she has failed to deliver them back and is not answering her phone. This person, unbeknown to us, has a history of this and again we were told it is a civil matter. We have receipts.

How can it be that people can thieve from you and nothing is done.

Hi, im not a police officer, I take the 999 calls and crime reports for the police, im a police enquiry officer, as well as an EOL.
The first incident id say is theft, if the person had no right to have or use your tack then they have stolen it, if you agreed they could use it and they just hav'nt given it back it is a civil matter.
The second incident is a civil matter im afaid, it would be up to the courts to sort this one out as she is claiming to provide a service and she has not returned the goods, you would report her to trading standards as well who would deal with her and that would be up to them to get the police involved.

Sometimes there is a very fine line between civil and a crime, I agree it is a crime that she is taking peoples rugs and keeping them, but as she's advertising it as a business then that is why Trading standards and a small claims court would deal with it.

Call 101 and tell them you need to report a theft of tack, thats if you didn't agree to lend it to the person, your suspect would be the person who has taken it.

 

[BBH]

Thankyou for the quick response.

Regarding the tack I was told that even CCTV footage was not evidence of the theft because I could have told her she could have it ?? I just don't understand the logic here and if you are now saying it was theft I have been wrongly advised. I was told the best way to reclaim my property was to go to her yard with a few burly blokes and take it back. If she then reported the saddle stolen she would be told the same as me ie. I could say she allowed me to take it.
On this basis anyone whoever goes any where could steal someone's belongings and get away with it. If you employ a gardener, groom, housekeeper they could all steal and get away with it by saying they have the right to be on the property and the owner said they can take the stuff.

PS I took the advice and I do have my saddle back.

Regarding the rug thief I think the police should at least give her a call to find out whats going on, the fact that so many of us are without our rugs shows a pattern of behaviour and a visit might be all thats needed to galvanise her into responding to us. She did this last year aswell we've just found out.