There is growing concern regarding stolen and missing horses in the state of Oklahoma, specifically Oklahoma County. Stolen Horse International, aka NetPosse, has processed several reports that seem to be more than coincidence. While NetPosse only receives a fraction of the estimated thousands of horse thefts each year, trends can be seen in data collected, and the amount of thefts in Oklahoma is alarming.

Susan Ballard awoke last Christmas morning to find that her Paint roping gelding, JP Cody Moon, had been stolen Christmas Eve from his stall in Harrah, Okla., after thieves cut through a fence and led him to an awaiting trailer.

Four months later, on April 20, in nearby Oklahoma City, the Wilson family made a startling discovery–Anne Wilson’s wedding gift from 25 years before had been stolen from her stall during the night. Thieves bypassed the younger Paint horses and targeted her beloved Holly Belle, a sorrel Quarter Horse mare.

A few days after the theft, Anne learned about NetPosse and immediately filed a report. The day after the NetPosse.com Idaho Alert (the horse community’s Amber Alert) was sent out for Holly, the Wilson’s received a strange call from a man saying he had her horse. The transaction that took place that evening was suspicious at best, but Anne, drained from the worry during the previous week over Holly, was too relieved to have her mare back to think clearly. It was not until a few days later that things began to fall into place