Stables on alert (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Stables on alert

HORSE owners throughout the area have been placed on high alert after £30,000 worth of tack was stolen from a livery stable in Wootton Bassett.

Harris Croft Livery in Bincknoll Lane, where 60 horses are kept, was burgled during the early hours of Tuesday morning.

About 30 saddles, along with bridles, hats, girths and whips, which belonged to owners of horses stabled there, were taken in the raid.

Rebecca Temlett, 25, is one of the riders who had her saddle stolen.

"I can't believe the bare-faced cheek of the people who did this. Everyone at the livery feels pretty awful.

"A couple of the horses were a bit upset the next day, they seemed stressed so they must have realised that something was not quite right."

She has kept her horse, Callie, which is the first she has owned, at the stables since September. As a child she learned to ride at Harris Croft when it had a riding school.

"They had chunky padlocks on the storeroom, what else can you do? If someone had decided to break it they will do it whatever precautions you take," she added.

Livery manager Oliver Nutland, 27, said it is the first break-in at the stable.

"I am both shocked and disappointed by it," he said. "There is always somebody on the premises, we employ staff on different shifts. The livery is fully secured, with two locks and we have dogs to alert us about intruders.

"I just don't know how it happened. Whoever is responsible must have carried out the theft very quickly and had a van of some sort."

The burglars even took the four wheelbarrows they presumably used to transport the equipment.

The yard was checked at 12.30am on Tuesday and again at 5.30am, when the burglary was discovered.

Mr Nutland fears the equipment will not be recovered and is worried the thieves will sell it on at the forthcoming horse fair in Stow-on-the-Wold.

He says about 30 customers were affected, with some of the saddles costing £1,000. Most of the equipment was insured but because saddles are tailored for individual riders and their horses, the loss is more than just financial.

"The owners are pretty cross and they can't ride their horses," said Mr Nutland. "All they can do is lunge them which means leading them by reins. This can't be good for the horses either as they need to be exercised properly."

PC Hayley Tarling, of Wootton Bassett police, is warning other stables and liveries in the area to be on guard.

She said: "Be more security conscious than usual. Make sure everything is locked up.

"If possible, take equipment home don't leave it in the stables.

"The thieves are after kit that is easy to get rid off so make sure any equipment is clearly marked, preferably with serial numbers.

"We normally just deal with thefts from personal stables but we have never had a burglary of this scale from a livery."

Anyone with information is asked to contact Wootton Bassett police on 01793 852213.