Guiseley woman 'devastated' as her 'pride and joy' horse trailer is stolen from yard in Bramhope

Charles Gray
By Charles Gray
Published 21st Apr 2023, 16:30 BST
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A Leeds woman has been left “devastated” after her beloved horse’s trailer was stolen.

Karen Stead, 57, from Guiseley, said that the £5,000 trailer that she uses to transport her horse ‘Dude’ to the vets and to competitions was stolen from the yard in Bramhope where she keeps it in the early hours of Tuesday morning.

She said that she had worked “hours and hours” of overtime to buy the trailer and that it was her “pride and joy”.

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Ms Stead said that it appeared the thieves had driven on Occupation Lane before cutting through fencing gates to access the yard with the vehicle. They then took two wheel locks off the trailer, with Ms Stead saying: “They must’ve taken a sledgehammer to the locks. They were in bits.

Karen Stead, from Guiseley, said that the £5,000 trailer that she used to transport her horse ‘Dude’ to competitions was stolen in the early hours of Tuesday morning. Photo: Karen SteadKaren Stead, from Guiseley, said that the £5,000 trailer that she used to transport her horse ‘Dude’ to competitions was stolen in the early hours of Tuesday morning. Photo: Karen Stead
Karen Stead, from Guiseley, said that the £5,000 trailer that she used to transport her horse ‘Dude’ to competitions was stolen in the early hours of Tuesday morning. Photo: Karen Stead

"The wheel locks and my registration plate were thrown into the next field.”

She said that she had a tracking device on the trailer that she established was removed at 2am. However, she said that although there are five or six CCTV cameras on the site, it was too foggy to see anything on them at the time the trailer was stolen.

Police were called but Ms Stead said that forensic teams could not find any fingerprints on the discarded items. She said: “Police said that there might be a gang that are targeting trailers at the moment and taking them to Huddersfield.

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"I’ve had trailers for over 20 years in different yards and other peoples’ have been stolen. I think my luck just ran out this time.

"My horse is my life and I rely on the trailer to get him to the vets and to competitions.”

She said that the trailer was bought four years ago for £5,000 but she did not insure it for the full amount, adding: “It’s not just a piece of metal. It’s my pride and joy. I worked hours and hours of overtime for that trailer and I’m absolutely gutted.”

A spokesperson for West Yorkshire Police said: “The theft occurred between midnight on Apr 17 and 8am Apr 18 at an equestrian yard, in Occupation Lane, Bramhope. Thieves broke gate locks and wheel locks to steal a grey Ifor Williams 506 horse trailer.”

Anyone with information is asked to contact officers via 101 quoting crime reference 13230213098 or online.