A horse owner based outside Banbury was surprised when police in Yorkshire telephoned to say her stolen horse trailer had been found – after 10 years.
Mel Boughton, a locum veterinary nurse, said she could not believe it when she got the call saying her £2,000 box had been recovered.
“It was really weird as I’d mentioned my trailer only that morning, a bit sarcastically, when I heard on the radio about crime figures going down on the radio,” she said.
Mrs Boughton’s green Ifor Williams trailer was stolen in 2007 in a night-time raid at a yard near Banbury.
It was bought by an innocent horse owner from a dealer in Yorkshire.
“The new ‘owners’ had it resprayed blue. Unfortunately I hadn’t insured it so it took me ages to save up to buy another,” she said.
The trailer was recovered after a mechanic checked on The Equipment Register – www.ter-europe.org – and found it recorded as stolen.
Mrs Boughton said she now believes the trailer was sold on to the unsuspecting buyer three days after being stolen.
“I’ve got to have a new floor, side panels and brakes fitted but it’s worth it. I’m so glad to have it back,” she said.
Gareth Barkwill from The Equipment Register said: “Anyone can check to see if a trailer or other piece of machinery they have bought is stolen property.”
