Police investigate ‘horse’ theft at Saddleworld, break-in at Bent St Vets

Two more Gympie businesses have fallen victim to crime, with the latest including the brazen theft of a ‘horse’ fronting the Bruce Hwy, which would have required a ‘mighty effort’.

Gympie police are investigating the theft of a fibreglass horse from Gympie Saddleworld, and an alleged break-and-enter with an axe at Bent Street Vets as concerns grow about crime in the region.

Saddleworld’s horse, which has been a fixture on the shop’s sign at Hyne St and facing the Bruce Highway, was swiped by thieves overnight on Wednesday, May 31 between 10pm and midnight.

Only the stumps of its legs were left behind.

The horse was found discarded in bushland along the Mary River near Kidd Bridge, about 1km north of the shop, and returned early Wednesday, June 7.

It was found less than 24 hours after Saddleworld’s owners had placed a call for help about the theft on their Facebook page.

Gympie Saddleworld owner Melissa Boully in front of a sign which was home to a fibreglass horse, until thieves struck on the night of May 31, 2023. The horse was found in bushland near the Kidd Bridge, up the Mary River from the shop.

Saddleworld owner Melissa Boully said the horse had been part of the business “for at least 20 years”.

“It would have taken a mighty big effort to remove our horse,” Mrs Boully said.

“If people are that desperate for a horse, maybe they should call in and see us and we can give them advice on ways they can spend with horses without stealing a fake one.”

The plan was to restore the horse to its rightful place but this would leave the shop out of pocket “quite a bit”.

Gympie Saddleworld's owners revealed on Facebook they had been able to recover the horse, a week after it was stolen from its usual spot on the shop's sign facing the Bruce Hwy.

She was grateful to the community for its help in locating the horse.

It is understood the theft was captured on CCTV, but Mrs Boully said she was unaware of exactly how it happened as she had not seen the footage herself.

She declined to make any further comment about the matter, saying it was now with police.

In a separate incident, Bent St Vets, near the Rattler, was also targeted in an apparent overnight break-in on Tuesday night.

Police have charged a 43-year-old man over the incident.

The man is accused of breaking into the shop about 9.20pm using an axe to shatter the front glass door.

He is then accused of stealing cash from the till and 20 vials of various prescription and non-precription medication.

Police said in a statement Wednesday the business’s owners was alerted by an internal alarm, and they then contacted officers after viewing CCTV footage from the clinic remotely.

When officer arrived the allegedly saw a man with a hooded jumper covering his head removing the property.

He was apprehended while standing outside the clinic “holding a plastic bag containing the alleged stolen medications and money”.

The 43-year-old has been charged with one count of entering a premises and committing an indictable offence.