# Suspicious activity West Yorks



## Cuffey (17 May 2011)

West Yorks Horsewatch message


There have been a number of suspicious incidents in the last few days
around the Garforth and Wetherby areas.
On one occasion, a vehicle was seen next to a field with several horses in.
And on another occasion another vehicle driving slowly past farms and
horses/fields.

Part VRM of vehicle: H*** WYL. Occupants described as 3 white males and a
mixed race male all in their twenties.

Contact Julie Hansord to join West Yorks Horsewatch if you are in this area
julie.hansord@westyorkshire.pnn.police.uk,


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## Lockie123 (18 May 2011)

I have just seen a message on a group on Facebook saying horses have been stolen from Beverley and Thirsk (2 seperate incidents). At both incidents a black lorry and maroon van have been spotted. Sorry i don't have any more info.


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## cally6008 (18 May 2011)

No-one has any further information on horses stolen from beverley or thirsk. I believe these happened last week sometime but can not trace the original source of the message

Nothing has been added on Stolen Horse Register or come through the Horsewatch network about these


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## Lynnskatz (18 May 2011)

Message sent to me this morning :- PLEASE PASS ON - STRANGE MAROON VAN SPOTTED AT YARD IN SUNDERLAND - PASSENGER GOT OUT TO LOOK AT GATE. THIS COINCIDES WITH SIGHTINGS OF MAROON VAN AND ACTUAL HORSE THEFTS THROUGHOUT THE AREAS OF YORK. PLEASE BE VIGILANT WITH SECURITY AND PASS ON TO AS MANY OF THE EQUESTRIAN COMMUNITY AS POSSIBLE!


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## ladyt25 (18 May 2011)

I have been advised on FB by a friend whose husband works for W Yorks police that  1 horse was stolen from Beverley, 2 from Thirsk and 1 from Terrington all within a 2 week period. A Maroon Van and Black Lorry have been seen in area at same time on all three incidents. 

I do not know if this has anything to do with Appleby coming up (when is that?) but there are certainly a lot of travellers in the area at the moment - a large 'camp' is currently on a playing field on the York Road near Leeds, they have been there about 2 weeks now although some would appear to have moved on in the last few days. 

Does anyone have any information on the descriptions of the horses that have been stolen?


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## cally6008 (18 May 2011)

ladyt25 - your friend who's husband works for W Yorks police should be able to provide descriptions of the stolen horses. Have you asked him ?


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## ladyt25 (19 May 2011)

cally6008 said:



			ladyt25 - your friend who's husband works for W Yorks police should be able to provide descriptions of the stolen horses. Have you asked him ?
		
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I have asked my friend for info yes.


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## Lockie123 (19 May 2011)

Also via Facebook, a friend at Tockwith told me she went to find gates open on her property yesterday morning that were most definitely closed the night before. Her dogs were also were very noisy through the night so she is pretty sure someone was snooping around.


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## Kenzo (19 May 2011)

I've just received this email from a friend this morning.

''Please be aware a black lorry and a Maroon Transit van with windows down the side of van (poss x reg) has been seen at a number of places horses have been taken from. Last week 2 horses, coloured cobs stolen from Beverley (East Yorkshire), then a sighting of van (feeding pony) in Filey. 2 horses stolen from Thirsk night before last again lorry and van seen. please send this to any one you know with horses.''


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## fatpiggy (19 May 2011)

It all sounds not dissimilar from a similar text and email that was going around Manchester and Cheshire a year or two ago - lorry and a maroon 4x4.  Despite reports from a yard quite near me, we never did find out if it was scare-mongering.


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## xloopylozzax (19 May 2011)

i live literally a minute from the 'camp' near garforth, only a few coloured cobs tethered that i can see. They even shut their gate on a night lol so nobody can get on the site!


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## ladyt25 (19 May 2011)

Is that a permanent site at Garforth? There are loads that have just descended up the York Road, past the main traffic lights as you pass Gipton on the way to Leeds - a whole bunch of caravans have been there a good week or so now. They had 3 horses tethered that I could see but I think they have moved on now. One of the horses, although coloured, didn't look to be of typical 'gypsy type' - it was a tall, slender coloured with some unusual blotchy markings. I was tempted to take a picture of it to be honest but doing things like that are a bit risky.

What I don't get is why the police can't go and check for valid passports for these horses to be honest. After all they are on public land that they shouldn't be camping on (a playing field) so surely the police are within their rights to check stuff like that (and car tax/insurance whilst they're at it!). I mean, we all get warned how we can be spot checked when travelling horses in our wagons etc. Why can't they then be checked when they tether these horses on public highways/land??


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## joy (19 May 2011)

ladyt25 said:



			Is that a permanent site at Garforth? There are loads that have just descended up the York Road, past the main traffic lights as you pass Gipton on the way to Leeds - a whole bunch of caravans have been there a good week or so now. They had 3 horses tethered that I could see but I think they have moved on now. One of the horses, although coloured, didn't look to be of typical 'gypsy type' - it was a tall, slender coloured with some unusual blotchy markings. I was tempted to take a picture of it to be honest but doing things like that are a bit risky.

What I don't get is why the police can't go and check for valid passports for these horses to be honest. After all they are on public land that they shouldn't be camping on (a playing field) so surely the police are within their rights to check stuff like that (and car tax/insurance whilst they're at it!). I mean, we all get warned how we can be spot checked when travelling horses in our wagons etc. Why can't they then be checked when they tether these horses on public highways/land??
		
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Probably something to do with infringing THEIR human rights.


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## ladyt25 (19 May 2011)

Hmm, yes I imagine so. It's amazing the rights some people have and not others eh! I know damn well if I set uo my tent on some piece of land like they have I would get moved on - the same as I imagine I would get fined for leaving the amount of rubbish they have left on the site! Makes you wonder doesn't it - why do we bother paying taxes etc etc. It's just as easy (apparently) to not bother and just expect everyone else pick up after you and just pitch up where you want, when you want and do as you please!


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## sparkyd (20 May 2011)

Thought it may be useful for other members of the equestrian community to have access to this information. As you are already aware there have been alot of reports of a Maroon Ford Transit over afew parts of the country. On Tuesday 17/05/11 a Maroon Ford Transit 80 SWB. Year of Manufacture 2000 was spotted at my livery yard in Sunderland, Tyne & Wear. This happened at around 9pm - LUCKILY there were several individuals still on the yard. The drivers were two rough looking middle aged men. The yard owners daughter quickly took their Registration Number and DETAILS HAVE BEEN PASSED ON TO OUR LOCAL POLICE. (whether they act is another matter) - which is why i feel it prudent to allow other members of the NE community and further afield access to the registration of the vehicle. Link or no link, that vehicle and those men should not have been on our yard for whatever reason, especially at 9pm!; it seems much too coincidental to be coincidence!! I want others to have access to it simply to be on the lookout ! 
I do not want to openly post it as the intention of passing it around is simply for people to have as reference when looking for suspicious vehicles, but if people would like to know the registration of the vehicle that was spotted please email me and I will pass it on. Many thanks


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## angelish (21 May 2011)

also seen this on fbook 
yes appleby "traffic" already starting to build up around our area too


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## ladyt25 (21 May 2011)

Qute odd really as there's not many maroon transit vans about so they're going to be pretty obvious! Now, white or blue, you'd blend in a bit! Travellers have now moved on from York Road Leeds though.


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