ORANGE COUNTY, Texas — Investigators in Orange County say that there has been a rise in horse thefts over the past few months.
The Orange County Sheriff's Office (OCSO) says that five horses have been stolen along a stretch of Highway 62 and homes in both Mauriceville and Orange have been hit.
Investigators think that there could be even more victims in the area.
"It's makes me sick to my stomach knowing that somebody is out here doing this," said OCSO Livestock Corporal Rhett Forsythe.
Now horse-owning families like the Keltz family are keeping a watchful eye on their livestock.
"We had a pin made to put them up at night and we have dogs who bark at everything," said Miranda Keltz.
According to OCSO, thieves have been cutting fences on properties along Highway 62 and taking off with horses.
"In general their value could be expensive depending on what the horse is used for," said Forsythe "You can sell these animals for thousands of dollars even. That may be the reason for these thefts."
The owners are left without a clue what happened to their animals, especially if the horse doesn't have any significant markings.
"Other people they have some horses that are very alike [to] other horses," Keltz said.
Since the sheriff's office posted on Facebook about three missing horses on Monday, Forsythe says tips have rolled in.
"The leads that are coming in they are being followed. There is one that is being followed right now and we don't know if it will be promising but it is something we are looking into. Cause the goal is to get these animals back to where they belong." he said.
Stealing a horse is classified as a third-degree felony in Texas. People found guilty of the crime can get up to 10 years in prison and a hefty fine of $10,000.
Forsythe encourages anyone with information to come forward.
"If you know any information please call us, because we want to reunite these animals with their owners," Forsythe said.
If livestock owners don't want to brand or mark their animals, the sheriff's office recommends microchipping them instead