Man 'devastated' as thieves steal his 11 pet goats

Police have asked anyone with information to get in touch

A man who kept 11 pygmy goats as pets said he was "devastated" when they were all stolen by thieves.

Paul Grey discovered his shed in Wheathampstead, Hertfordshire, had been broken in to in the early hours of Wednesday.

He said the loss of his herd - worth about £4,000 in total - had left him feeling defeated about ever keeping goats as pets again.

Hertfordshire Police said it was keen to hear from people who may have captured the theft on a dashcam.

The goats were taken under the cover of darkness from the shed they were kept in

Mr Grey told BBC Radio Northampton that he kept the goats for leisure and enjoyed breeding them.

It was not the first time he had been targeted, with three kids being stolen from him previously when they were nine days old.

"This time it's absolutely devastating, it feels like what is the point in carrying on?," he said.

"[The thieves] smashed all the doors and all the gates, gone in and stole what they wanted."

Mr Grey says his property was damaged during the break-in

Sgt Alex Winning, of Hertfordshire Police, said the force was investigating the theft.

"This incident occurred on a well-used road between Wheathampstead and Harpenden," he said.

"Those committing the theft will have been in the area for some time and will have used a large vehicle to move the animals away from the site.

“If you were in the area at the time and have any information which may assist us, please get in touch."