Overnight Miracle! Stolen horse trailer found in less than 24 hours

NetPosse.com Alert does it again with the help of the Good Samaritan and the horse community

May 16, 2013 - On May 10, 2013, the truck & trailer that belonged to Claudia White was stolen from an Aiken, SC farm. On May 12, 2013, Claudia reported that loss to Stolen Horse International, aka NetPosse.com. On May 13, 2013, the news came back-her trailer had been located. 

Claudia White called Debi Metcalfe, founder of the nonprofit organization, on Mother’s Day to get help filing her report and said, “Someone has stolen my truck and trailer and I need to get this information out right away. Can you help me?”

“Someone came to the barn, and then my truck and trailer were stolen. On the way out, the robber knocked out the fence post with the trailer,” she said. “I can’t believe anyone would do this. You never hear about anyone stealing trailers from here.”

Later on Sunday, White’s NetPosse.com Alert for her truck and trailer, which provided printable fliers, pictures of the missing truck and trailer, and contact information for White was sent to thousands who then shared it with thousands on Facebook and other social media.

Stolen Horse International, a Shelby, NC, based nonprofit organization, is most often referred to as “the equivalent to the missing children’s network in the horse industry.” Most people do not know that the organization also works with stolen trailers and equipment.

Metcalfe started the organization more than a decade ago after her horse, Idaho, was stolen in 1997 and recovered 51 weeks later, due to a far-reaching crusade launched by Metcalfe.

Monday, less than 24 hours after the first NetPosse Alerts were sent, a tip that helped find White’s trailer in a Walmart parking lot in Walterboro, SC, was called in to White.

“I ran by WalMart and I noticed a horse trailer in the parking lot.  It was a silver gooseneck and there was no truck with it,” said Denna Rentz of Eharhardt, SC. “Being a horse owner and just purchasing a trailer myself, it just struck me as odd for it to be sitting there as it could easily be taken if someone wanted it.”

The motto of Stolen Horse International is, “Never underestimate the power of one.” Rentz had no idea that her keen observation about the horse trailer and her willingness to step forward as a Good Samaritan was about to demonstrate first-hand how one person can make that difference.

“A couple of hours after arriving back home, I got on my computer and checked my e-mail and Facebook.  I saw a link to a site about a stolen truck and trailer.  I couldn’t help but think how similar it looked to the one I had just seen in the parking lot.”

The link she clicked on was one shared with her by a friend that took her to White’s stolen truck and trailer report on www.netposse.com.

“I got the number and called and I told her I wasn’t positive, but I felt like it was worth checking out,” continued Rentz. “By the next day, I was told that it was the person’s trailer and all her belongings were still in the trailer.”

Debi Metcalfe said she received a call on Wednesday around noon from White stating that she had found her horse trailer.

“Debi I am calling you to let you know that we have recovered our horse trailer. I am driving it home now,” White said. “I was so surprised to get the call.”

“I’m so thankful I called,” said Rentz. “Normally I would not do that sort of thing.  If I had not been recently looking at trailers I might not have even noticed it.  I just happened to be in the right place at the right time and am so glad I could help someone.  I would hope that if something like this ever happened to me that someone would just go with their instincts and pick up the phone and help me out, too.”

Metcalfe says, “No one expects anyone to come take such big items. It is this kind of complacency in the horse industry that makes it so easy to steal horses and equipment from our farms. This is far from the first time this has happened and certainly will not be the last.”

The truck has not been found. Click here for more info and a printable flyer. You too can make a difference.