A MAN has been arrested after £10,000 worth of horse tack and riding equipment were reported stolen in the Fordingbridge area.

It came as Hampshire Police’s recently launched New Forest High Harm Team announced five arrests in its first week.

The arrests include a man wanted for the theft of more than £800 worth of electrical items who had failed to attend court, a man in breach of his community order who had gone on to commit a further eight theft and public order offences, and a man who was involved in a drugs incident in Hythe and showed violence towards police officers upon arrest.

A further two people were arrested on the afternoon of Monday, March 27 in cooperation with response and patrol officers from Lyndhurst and the horse tack and riding equipment arrest. 

Police said searches were subsequently conducted at three premises and that nearly all of the stolen items had been recovered.

Sergeant Andy Gwyer, leader of the New Forest High Harm Team, said: “This team was formed to tackle offences like these – those that have a huge impact on the wider community – and we are committed to identifying suspects and returning property to those that have been affected by crime in the rural community.”