Hunt for crooks who stole six free-roaming Shetland ponies from national park
The miniature ponies, which are all under 34 inches tall when fully grown, were stolen from common grazing land around the idyllic villages of Bramshaw and Cadnam between July 20 and 22.
Their theft has sent shockwaves through the close-knit local community, with residents now rallying to help track down the animals which are hugely popular with walkers and visitors to the area.
The picturesque New Forest National Park, famed for its free-roaming animals, is home to donkeys, pigs, cattle, and ponies - all owned by local commoners who graze their animals across the ancient woodlands and open heaths.
Anna Merritt, a neighbour of the ponies' owner, has launched a heartfelt social media campaign to bring them home.
She said: 'The locals really do look out for the ponies when they are out walking or riding. People love coming to see them, they'll be hugely missed, especially as such a large number of them were stolen.'
Each of the ponies is branded with the initials 'TP' - a mark approved by the historic Verderers' Court, which oversees the welfare of animals in the New Forest.
No females bearing this brand are ever sold, making any suspicious sightings or sales easier to spot.
Police fear the pint-sized ponies, which are especially easy to transport due to their small stature, may already have been moved out of the county.
A spokesperson for Hampshire and Isle of Wight Police said: 'We received a report that five Shetland ponies were believed to have been stolen from an address on Cadnam Lane between July 20 and 22. Another has since been reported missing.'
David Collings, of Hampshire Horse Watch, told the BBC: 'Horse theft is very rare. Where it does happen it does have a great impact on the owners and other members of the community.'
The crime follows a stark warning from rural crime officers just weeks earlier, after a spate of break-ins at local stables and farms.
Police had received reports of balaclava-clad gangs using drones to scope out rural properties at night, often with a view to stealing machinery, trailers or valuable animals.
An alert shared by Hampshire Horse Watch said: 'Over the last week we have seen horse studs and liveries being targeted.
'The reports suggest three people in balaclavas with cutting machinery are targeting outbuildings … We think they are looking for gardening machinery, quad bikes or other high-value items like trailers.'
It added: 'Another thing to be thinking about is the criminal use of drones. We have had a report recently when a drone was flying over a farm at 1am and we think this was being used to see what was on the farm.'
Anyone with information about the missing ponies, or who spots miniature Shetlands with the TP brand being offered for sale, is urged to contact Hampshire Police immediately.
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