So far, 2022 has not been an easy year for trainer Wesley Ward. In early February, someone broke into his Versailles, Ky., home and walked out with a dozen trophies, including those he won at Royal Ascot. Just days ago, lightning struck a service pole near one of his barns, sparking a fire that killed three of his horses, including Strike The Tiger and Modesto. On March 10 though, his step was a little lighter, because seven of those trophies have been recovered.
Rob Young, assistant police chief with Versailles Police Department, said one arrest has been made but the case is ongoing.
“We received information and conducted follow-up, made contact with some of our law enforcement partners — Montgomery County Sheriff's Department and the Lexington Police Department,” said Young. “Through the information received and follow-up investigative work we were able to recover approximately seven of the 14 I thought it was (I've heard 12 and I've heard 14). They were severely damaged, if not outright destroyed. An arrest was made in the case.
“Work is ongoing in the case to try to recover additional items as well as identify if there were other individuals involved.”
Brian Thomas Wylie, 47, of Lexington, Ky., was arrested by Lexington police on the afternoon of March 9 and charged with receiving stolen property valued between $1,000 and $10,000. According to the arrest citation, police discovered Wylie operating a stolen motorcycle valued at $2,000 and took him into custody for an unrelated warrant. The citation noted that a search revealed possession of stolen property with scrap value of $913.88 based on going rates for silver.
Ward was brought in to identify the trophies and said they have been badly damaged. Ward wondered if the damage came from someone trying to strip precious metal from the insides of the trophy boxes, but Young said there could have been other motives.
“We really don't have items such as this often stolen, but it's very common for thieves to try to conceal the identity of stolen items,” said Young. “And these being so unique in nature, it's likely the intent was to destroy the items to the point where it would be unrecognizable and easier to sell and get value out of the metals. You'd see that most often in jewelry thefts where they'll melt down a ring or a necklace because their unique nature makes them identifiable.”
Video footage captured by one of Ward's home security cameras showed someone entering his home on the morning of Feb. 8 and bypassing electronics and other trophies in favor of the Royal Ascot trophies, which Ward said were kept together in a bag inside a closet. Photos of the Royal Ascot trophies in their original state show that they were watches kept inside inscribed silver and gold boxes.
Young could not reveal further details about the case, which he said is ongoing, including how the thief was able to quickly locate the items in Ward's home. Young wasn't sure if the publicity around the case impacted the behavior of the perpetrators, but did say that media attention in stolen property cases often increases the chances that police can recover the stolen items.
For now, the trophies are being retained by police as evidence, but Ward said he'll be happy to have them back, even in their current state.
“I'm just glad to have them back. They're great memories, especially to have Riley [Ward, who led a public awareness effort about the theft] and my other two kids up on the stand when I received them, is great,” he said. “They're kind of melted down but they still have the Royal Ascot insignia in there.
“I really thought, especially with all the media attention around it … that they were just going to bury them for a while and not do anything with them, but fortunately they were recovered.”
Although it's a relief to know the tangible remnants of those memories will come back to him in some form, Ward said he'd give it all up to get back the horses he lost last weekend, one of whom gave him his first Royal Ascot trophy.
“They could have all the trophies and a substantial amount more money if I could just have my horses back,” he said. “You hear about these things and you just feel sad, sick for the people it happens to. You hear about barn fires, but it's unbelievable. The first few days I was just in shock, but now it's starting to resonate. It's such a horrible thing that happened. I wouldn't have imagined that would ever happen to me. But we're moving forward. We're going to win some races. You never forget, but always keep a positive attitude and move forward.”
The post Some Of Ward’s Stolen Royal Ascot Trophies Recovered, One Man Charged With Possession Of Stolen Property appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.
