HORSE owners in Droitwich are being urged to be on their guard after three thefts of rugs in the space of a week.
The first happened in Newland Road, between 7pm on March 30 and 3pm on March 31.
The thief entered the field across the road and removed the rug from the horse. The owner knew the rug had not fallen off as it had been secured.
The victim also heard a commotion in the opposite field between 10pm and 10.30pm, noticing the horse there had been spooked and began galloping. The next day it was discovered the horse’s rug was missing. One was light blue and the other was dark blue.
Next, between 10pm on April 2 and 7am on April 3, a Weatherbeater rug was stolen from a horse in a field off the A38 in Martin Hussingtree.
Then between 6pm on Monday (April 7) and 7am on Tuesday (April 8), two New Zealand rugs were taken from two horses who were in a field off Ladywood Road, Martin Hussingtree. The animals were both in the field, just 100ft away from a farmhouse.
A similar theft took place in Worcester at Broadgreen, Broadwas, between January 4 and 5.
On that occasion, thieves unscrewed the screws in a padlock to access a stable. Once inside, they took two lightweight rugs, which had the initials ‘n h’ on them, a knife used to chop apples and two plastic feed bins containing horse feed.
It is believed they also tried to remove a brand new rug from a roaming horse.
Insp Janet Heritage, of Wychavon Safer Neighbourhood Team, said: “It is an unusual crime and can be quite upsetting for the horses and their owners.
“There is also the potential of those responsible being seriously hurt by one of the horses.”
Any witnesses or anyone with any information should call police on 101 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
