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Tack can be extremely valuable, and so is unfortunately often targeted by thieves.

Police have seen a notable increase in horse-related theft recently which have included thefts of horse boxes, and burglaries from stables.

A spokesperson for North Yorkshire Police said: “Our Rural Task Force offers bespoke crime prevention advice for horse and stable owners in the Scarborough and Whitby area.

North Yorkshire Police have issued a warning to horse owners after a series of horse-related thefts in Yorkshire.

“They can also provide free property marking, to deter thieves and make it easier to identify stolen items of tack.

“Please call us on 101 and ask for the Rural Task Force or your local Neighbourhood Policing Team if you’d like to arrange this.”

Police have offered advice to horse owners and say you should invest in good quality padlocks and chains for your gates and doors.

Ideally padlocks with a heavy-duty hasp and staple on barn and outbuilding doors, fitted directly to the door, with two equally-spaced locks from top to bottom.

Keep all tack and equipment in a secure, locked tack room, and keep up with maintenance, as rusty or failing hinges and rotten wood are easily spotted.

If possible, fit bars on tack room windows, as these are often a key entry point for thieves.

Ensure your yard is well lit – this is a key deterrent. Consider also installing CCTV.

Although it can be expensive, cheaper alternatives are coming to the market all the time and it can be instrumental in both deterring and catching offenders.

Get your tack and equipment property marked. We offer regular property marking events at local retailers, and can even come to your premises, so keep an eye out for posters and social media posts about these.

All horses, donkeys and mules need to be microchipped by law and you should update your Passport Issuing Organisation (PIO) with the microchip number so this can be uploaded to the Central Equine Database.

The database allows you to quickly report your horse is missing and check if a horse is legally for sale.

Be vigilant for anyone strangers visiting the yard and if it is a shared premises, try to make everyone aware of any known visitors.

Keep a regular check of all fences and field boundaries for any weak spots which would let horses out or allow thieves in.

Put padlocks on both ends of your gates so that they cannot be lifted off the hinges.

Warning to horse owners as thefts of horse boxes and tack from stables on rise