[Steph Hen]

What do the police say?

I am so sad and furious reading this!

Feeling very sorry for you.

[Penninehillbilly]

I'm so upset for you Andy and Becky, I wish there was something practical I could do,
most of them have distinctive markings so hopefully if those pictures get around someone may recognise something, Good Luck.
Are there houses near the land? could you set up one of these shed alarms and leave your phone number with everyone who lives near? Big dog in a pen? (aggresive billy goat?)
Tried door knocking to see if anyone has been hanging about?
ReallyReally hope they turn up.

[lachlanandmarcus]

This sort of theft where you can't leave anything is so corrosive, it destroys communities and the hopes of decent people trying to do good productive things and live a positive life with their animals.


I really really feel for you.


What have the police said given this has been an ongoing saga of thefts?

[jaykay]

I think we should all go and camp out on reedos' land, armed with mattocks and gripes (muck forks)!

If these sort of parasitic lice put as much effort into earning an honest living as they do preying off other people's efforts......

[plumseverywhere]

Makes me so angry - leaves livestock owners feeling vulnerable and alone when the police say they cant' do anything. We had similar when one of our sheep was savaged by 'pet' dogs. Police said "we don't deal with dog attacks on livestock" so I tweeted their comments and was given a number to call ASAP to 'resolve any issues' - give it a go, Reedo - you can't be left without official support in this situation, its not on. 

[fifixx]

Poor you, I would be devasted if mine were stolen - we are on alert this week as it is the Dorset Steam Fair, so all gates etc locked.

I moved the billy and the kids to a more hidden field yesterday - but have spent the day retrieving him from his excursion into see the girlies (so no doubt some kids now in Jan!) as he was just too near and went over 3 fences to get to them....

[reedos]

The Police called around again today, basically said there was nothing they could do, as they had nothing to go on. They intimated that there has been more "traveller" activity in the area, but that relations with the travellers have been strained so they wouldn't even get spoken to by them without a warrant.


I hate stereotyping and have always given them the benefit of the doubt, but when some of my chickens were found in their camp last year and the goats go missing when they are around again it's difficult not to.


Today I'm just sad but planning the way ahead. Our other goats are with a good friend for as long as they need to be and the pigs are due to go to the abattoir next week anyway. We will probably be winding up this bit of land, but we are now actively looking for somewhere more secure near to Barton Upon Humber to rent. They might win this round but they won't make us give it up completely.


So if anybody knows anybody with some land near to us that they would rent we'b be immensely grateful if you could let us know.


Thanks for all your support (and I quite like the mattocks and muck forks idea!)

[Lesley Silvester]

I'm glad you aren't giving up your dream, although I can understand you thinking you might have to. Hope you find somewhere suitable soon. 

[lachlanandmarcus]

The Police called around again today, basically said there was nothing they could do, as they had nothing to go on. They intimated that there has been more "traveller" activity in the area, but that relations with the travellers have been strained so they wouldn't even get spoken to by them without a warrant.


I hate stereotyping and have always given them the benefit of the doubt, but when some of my chickens were found in their camp last year and the goats go missing when they are around again it's difficult not to.


Today I'm just sad but planning the way ahead. Our other goats are with a good friend for as long as they need to be and the pigs are due to go to the abattoir next week anyway. We will probably be winding up this bit of land, but we are now actively looking for somewhere more secure near to Barton Upon Humber to rent. They might win this round but they won't make us give it up completely.


So if anybody knows anybody with some land near to us that they would rent we'b be immensely grateful if you could let us know.


Thanks for all your support (and I quite like the mattocks and muck forks idea!)

It makes me angry that the police regard any part of the community as immune from even being spoken to without a warrant. (at our old place they wouldn't go on the site without armed backup and helicopters).


In practice that just meant that crimes were carried out even more as the perpetrators knew they had at least an hour to dispose of any evidence and make their getaway, even when you had seen them nicking the stuff and going into the site :-(((( they wouldn't allow it with a council estate so why is anyone/anywhere seen as legitimately off limits to the police of this country?


It gives the police a quiet life as without a warrant they won't make enquiries but there will never be evidene enough for a magistrate to grant a warrant unless they make enquiries. GRrrrrrrrrrrrr...

[zoe_emma]

Are you humberside area?
We recently moved away from hull. I'm so sorry about what happened, unfortunately I am not surprised about the attitude of the police.
When I lived there I had lots of issues with my ex husband. Eventually they went to arrest him, but he didn't answer the door when they knocked so they just left and never bothered to go back.

[jaykay]

The ordinary police don't go onto certain traveller sites without armed guards because they would be beaten and bricked to death.

I'm sure there ar lazy useless police officers, as there are lazy and useless other folk. Police officers not doing their basic job need complaining about. But they all belong to families and need to go home safely to them.

What this country does need to do, is be prepared to insist that all sections of the community live within the law. And if they don't, to take the necessary (armed if needed) action.

But we've gone so far down the 'tolerance of other communities' line that  we're not  prepared to stand up for ourselves, ourselves being those of all stripes, who live law-abiding lives. '

[plumseverywhere]

Makes me livid. Its these low lifes that give the rest of the community a bad name - its these low lifes that I blame for my kids being bullied and called pikey.  I wish something would be done, I really do - same problems here, when a friends sheep were attacked by local traveller dogs the police refused to go onto the site for the reasons Jaykay mentions and nothing was done so the dogs lived to go and kill local goats...
The traveller liaison teams need to be more active. Locally, I speak with the travellers and liaise but its only my heritage that gives me the immunity to go onto that site! I wouldn't let my husband go on there in a million years on his own.
Too right Jaykay, we need to get rid of any lawless sub-cultures, it has got to stop for the benefit of all.

[lachlanandmarcus]

The ordinary police don't go onto certain traveller sites without armed guards because they would be beaten and bricked to death.

I'm sure there ar lazy useless police officers, as there are lazy and useless other folk. Police officers not doing their basic job need complaining about. But they all belong to families and need to go home safely to them.

What this country does need to do, is be prepared to insist that all sections of the community live within the law. And if they don't, to take the necessary (armed if needed) action.

But we've gone so far down the 'tolerance of other communities' line that  we're not  prepared to stand up for ourselves, ourselves being those of all stripes, who live law-abiding lives. '

I agree.


If that's the situation then the armed guards should be available at much more local locations so they can be deployed pretty much straight away, rather than hours later which has been my experience, otherwise we are just pretending that they aren't needed on a more routine basis.


As it is the criminals know exactly how long it takes to get them out there and the costs involved meaning they are reluctant to do it for 'petty ' crimes and that directly leads to a huge amount of crime. And then the even more riling aspect that because the crimes are perpetrated by certain individuals or groups, but the police won't pursue, then like a lot of fly tipping where transit block the lane at either end, the crimes aren't counted when the local community tries to convey the sheer amount of crime going on, as it's not logged against that location/individuals. Makes me mad!

[Roxy]

So very, very sorry this has happened.  I know I would be devasted if my livestock were taken.
 
Its just a year since my buildings were broken into and carriage, saddles and other things taken.  The Police just said they had nothing to go on, and did not bother coming out.....although they did say they had a good idea who was involved, but could not go there.
 
Our land is away from any houses, but can be seen from the road.  We get a lot of "interest" from passing traffic, who see our herd of goats out on the hill side, and they often slow down to look - which does worry me.  Are they just admiring the goats, or casing them for taking.  Most of they are as daft as brushes, and would readily walk off with a stranger!!  Same with the ponies, who in quite a large herd, sort of stand out - especially being mostly ride and drive, and of interest to certain people.
 
We are getting "cold callers" for want of a better phrase.  Coming out of Manchester, wanting to buy goats for eating.  I am not suggesting they would help themselves, but you never know.
 
The only good thing is, you would have to walk down two steep fields from the road, take the goats and walk up the big hill again .....yes, its quiet in the night,  but the road is used, so a vehicle may well be spotted by a passer by, who hopefully would call the Police.  I can see the stables and land from my house now we have moved, and most nights, very late on, I scan the hillside for signs of car lights, and torches.  If in any doubt my husband goes to check - 10 minute car ride, but worth it for peace of mind.

[Penninehillbilly]

Only yesterday someone (elderly lady) was telling me that her dog was barking, she came out of the house and an indian? man was looking in her stable and sheds, wondering if she had any goats to sell! seems strange but no reason to disbelieve, she does live a little way out but only has a horse and hens + someone elses ponies on her fields. She's only about 40-50 yds from a tarmac road. Maybe time we got anothr dog!
I need to sell some goats before winter, but this is one thing that's stopping me, I don't want strangers about.