How could anyone stoop so low?! Equestrian artist, Bartolo Messina, has suffered a devastating loss as his prized 63cm tall Miniature pony, Charlie, deemed the World's Smallest Pony, has been kidnapped! (The World's smallest horse is actually St. Louis, Mo native Thumbelina, who stands at 17.5-inches) Charlie was in for the 47th Annual National Horse Show in the Umbrian town of Citta di Castello, until Thursday night when thieves cut through wire fence and made off with the pony through a nearby tobacco field and sped off in a car waiting for them, officials report. An Italian military police spokesman has said 'Investigations are continuing. We are not excluding any possibilities including that the perpetrators are part of a criminal organization.' Authorities suspect the Mafia is involved and are holding a ransom for the pony. The President of the Horse Show has gone on to condemn the theft as "very serious criminal act that offends and humiliates all in the horse world" and added that for years security measures had been successful in protecting players from similar situations. He expressed sympathy for Messina 'We sympathise with Bartolo Messina, a great equestrian artist who loves and lives by his horses, and had trained the victim of this sad episode with extraordinary kindness and ability.' Meanwhile, the poor pony owner, Bartolo, has gone on to express his sorrows on Facebook, stating 'I never imagined having to write this but unfortunately it has happened and I feel empty, violated and destroyed!'. "Help me to find him, whoever has news ... please contact me!' It is indeed a sad tail, time for the police to rein in the thieves...