Trudy Keegan's half empty hay barn, about 600 bales have been stolen. Photo: Supplied
Police are investigating the theft of hundreds of bales of hay worth thousands of dollars in Taranaki.
About 600 bales were stolen from a barn at Bel Brooke Racing Stables in Stratford. Police say it happened between 10.30am on Tuesday and 10.30am Wednesday.
Another property 40 minutes away near New Plymouth also told RNZ they have had 300 bales stolen.
Bel Brooke Racing Stables Owner Trudy Keegan believes the thefts are linked to the ongoing drought because stock feed prices are high due to a shortage of supply.
"It's a shock. That hay has to last us 12 months and everybody is struggling. It's no different for anyone involved in farming or horses, when you've got animals and have to feed them then you dedicate your life to that."
Police told RNZ the bales would have been manually loaded onto a truck or vehicle big enough to take that many.
The Keegans think it may have been quite the operation.
"It had to be a group of people to move that amount of hay... this wasn't an opportunist type situation, it's been planned. We certainly have beefed up security and are putting in cameras today.
"We do think they've come in two nights in a row because we hadn't been in the barn since Monday... so they probably thought 'well this is too easy'."
The hay barn isn't visible from the road, but the property is for sale and she worries the drone footage used for advertising is what alerted the thieves to their barn and where to find it.
"It wouldn't have taken too much to figure out how to get in there in the middle of the night and help themselves," Trudy said.
The main gate had an entrance pin code on it, but the Keegans believe it could have been disabled by the offenders.
"We can't find tyre tracks anywhere, so they have to have come in off the road through that main gate ... they could have jumped over and disengaged the gates which isn't hard to do," she said.
Police are urging people to report any unusual activity near East Road in Stratford.
"The number of bales involved would have stuck out to passing motorists, particularly if being driven at night time," police said in a statement.
"While enquiries are in their early stages, police would like to hear from anyone with information that may help the investigation."
The hay is usually worth about $10 a bale, but because of the drought it has been selling for around $15 a bale - which is what she said could have motivated the thieves.
"And that price will keep going up, we know there is a big shortage going forward into the winter and spring so it could be they store it and wait to sell, or maybe they already had someone lined up with an order," Trudy Keegan said.
She said finding the stolen hay is nearly impossible, because 'conventional bales' are all a similar size and usually tied with the same blue shade of baling twine.
"I can't see how to prove what's your hay if it does pop up somewhere. I guess that's what makes the thieves so confident."
She's hoping insurance will cover it, but worries other people could also be targeted as she's heard of a number of hay thefts reported in the region.
"My advice to people with large amounts of hay is to be very careful, and keep up on that insurance so they can get through and look after their animals."
'Absolutely devastated'
Hundreds of hay bales were stolen. Photo: Supplied
Another Taranaki resident, Mel Lines who lives near New Plymouth, said she had 300 bales stolen which are worth about $3000.
"I'm absolutely devastated. We're in a really bad drought in Taranaki so it was that realisation that it felt invasive someone had been on the property without me knowing ... and now I don't have the winter feed I thought I'd have going into winter. It's not a nice feeling at all."
Her haybarn can be seen from the road, and she told RNZ the theft is especially tough because she grows and cuts a particular type of hay that is safe to feed her horses, which means she can't just buy regular hay.
"It's not like I can go out and replace it with hay from down the road.. it's a particular hay that I grow and is special for my horses so I don't end up with massive vet bills or horses being unwell or potentially having to be put down.
"It's going to be a tough winter."
She doesn't have much hope for tracking down her special bales.
"I don't like my chances of finding it.. especially knowing other people have had the same thing happen. This is the last thing people in Taranaki need."
Police advised farmers to ensure gates are locked, and to report any suspicious activity to police via 111 if it's happening now, or by making a report via 105 if it's after the fact.
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