Online marketplaces are an attractive platform for the trade in pre-owned horseboxes states the latest report on www.operationgallop.org.uk the National Equine Crime Group along with The Equipment Register TER

Owners of horseboxes are urged to consider registering their horsebox with the manufacturers and other organisations to maximise the chances of their recovery post theft and take all precautions to improve security and target hardening.

13th February 2025 Analysis conducted by The Equipment Register (TER), Europe’s largest database of stolen plant and equipment, reports that more than one in 10 (11%) horseboxes for sale on online marketplaces were either registered as stolen or had their identity plates tampered with. The TER database includes 1.85 million items, of which 850,000 are trailers including 250,000 horseboxes.

TER checked 650 horseboxes that were being offered for sale on online marketplaces, including Facebook Marketplace, eBay and Gumtree over a four-week period. Its analysis uncovered 71 trailers that had been registered as stolen or where the trade was red flagged as “suspect”.   Reasons for highlighting a trade as being irregular include a missing or tampered serial plates or a seller who will not provide the serial number or other documentation with proof of ownership, when requested. 

TER’s findings support data from the NFU Mutual Rural Crime Report, which found that the cost of rural crime rose increased by 4.3% year-on-year in 2023, reaching a total estimate of £52.8 million.  

Online marketplaces are a convenient and efficient platform for buying and selling a wide range of goods, including horseboxes. However, this convenience also makes them an attractive avenue for the trade of stolen goods.  The anonymity offered by these platforms allows criminals to list stolen horseboxes with minimal risk of detection. Sellers can easily create fake profiles, use untraceable contact information, and quickly delete listings once a sale is made, making it difficult for authorities to track down the perpetrators.

TER checked 650 horseboxes for proof of ownership that were being offered for sale on Facebook Marketplace, eBay and Gumtree across the UK over a three-week period.