Yard owner shocked after shelters stolen from field
Two field shelters have been stolen from the ground, as well as tack and equipment from a livery yard in Norfolk.
The theft took place overnight last week (21-22 July) at the yard in Hethel near Wymondham.
The thieves removed rails from between the posts of a fence so they could enter the roadside field. They then drove down to the shelters via a long paddock that connects the six horses’ enclosures.
Four field shelters, worth more than £1,000 each, were installed in the field last month (30 June).
The two shelters furthest from the road were taken as well as tack, feed and lunging equipment from two locked wooden sheds.
“A livery went up at 5.40am and the moment she saw the rails were missing from the fence she knew something had happened,” yard owner Marion Gray told H&H.
“You can’t believe someone would come in and dismantle your field shelters that were concreted into the ground.
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“It wouldn’t have been a five minute job — it took two men seven hours to put them up.”
The two sheds that were broken into belonged to two separate liveries.
“They broke the lock and unscrewed the hinges from one shed on crow-barred off the lock on the other,” said Ms Gray.
“When buildings are taken down it’s a little more scary [than just taking equipment] — we’re really shocked.”
Police were called on Wednesday morning (22 July) and visited the field, which is located half an hour from the main yard where 16 horses are stabled.
“We will replace the field shelters and improve security by putting cameras in,” added Ms Gray.
Anyone with any information should contact the police on 101.
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Rachael joined Horse & Hound in 2014, initially as a digital sub editor then became part of the news team as a writer in 2015. The philosophy graduate studied journalism at the Press Association before working as a local reporter at the Brentwood Gazette. Rachael is now a mum of two and still loves all things equestrian, including hacking, dressage and jumping with her cob Bert. Rachael left the H&H staff to go freelance in June 2019, but still contributes to our magazine and website, as well as our sister magazine Country Life, among others.