New website set up to help combat thieves
A Herefordshire horse owner has launched a new website where victims of crime can list stolen items in a bid to beat thieves.
Angela Jefferson claims to have had more than £80,000-worth of possessions stolen over the years — from horseboxes, trailers and tack to quadbikes.
“I’ve had enough. It makes you feel so powerless,” she said. “The rural community is hit so hard. Our farm manager has now had two lorries stolen. The second was to replace the first and it was taken in broad daylight. We want to get people’s belongings back.”
The site— www.itsbeennicked.co.uk — went live two weeks ago.
Stolen items must have been reported to the police before being posted on the website, as a police incident number must be included.
It is free to list stolen property, which can be anything from horses to jewellery.
“If the site gets big enough, we hope people will check there before buying goods whose history they don’t know so thieves don’t win,” said Mrs Jefferson.
Never miss out on the latest happenings in the equestrian world
Charles Naylor from Herefordshire Police said: “It’s a good idea and, as far as I’m aware, is the first of its kind. We have registers of stolen goods for police use, but not for the public. We’re fortunate to have a fairly low equestrian crime rate in Herefordshire, but I imagine in other parts of the country it will be extremely helpful.”
Garry Porter of the UK Horsewatch Alliance added: “All crime prevention is good. But the most important thing is to make sure all your belongings are clearly marked and identifiable, so they don’t end up on the site in the first place.”
This news story was first published in Horse & Hound (8 July, 2010)
Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now
A graduate of Exeter University, Amy joined our news team from Redpin Publishing in 2008 as news writer. She was promoted to deputy news editor in May 2013 and became news editor in April 2015. She left Horse & Hound in March 2016 to take up an editorial position in Dubai.