Doc
Well-known member
Cattle Theft
Cattle Thieves Getting Bolder As Prices Climb
Victoria G. Myers Progressive Farmer Senior Editor
Bio | Email
Mon Jun 18, 2012 10:35 AM CDT
Print Email
For 50 years the East Tennessee Livestock Center at Sweetwater has held a weekly cattle sale. It was news to just two groups of people -- those who had cattle to sell, and those who had money to buy. But that all changed early in the morning May 31, when a tractor trailer backed in, loaded up 21 feeders, and disappeared.
A spate of cattle thefts across the country, underscores the need for extra security. (DTN/Progressive Farmer photo by Claire Vath)
Since the theft, media attention has focused on the crime and law enforcement has been working to find the missing cattle. Mark and Jennifer Houston run this family-owned livestock market, started in 1962 by Mark's dad Joe. Mark says they sell some 50,000 head annually, and since the operation began they had only lost one or two head to thieves.
"Nothing like this has ever happened, not on this scale," says Houston. "The cattle had already been sold, and were waiting to be picked up. They had back tags on them, but those are easy to remove. That means there probably won't be any way to identify them."
Houston says he's working through things with his insurance carrier, but wants to stress that given the price for beef right now, thieves are just looking for an opportunity.
"This could happen to anybody. Cattle are as high as they've been in years. Anyone with facilities close to roadways, where it's easy access, they need to be sure everything is locked and if they can, add to surveillance." Houston says he's adding more security to his facilities.
Cattle theft is becoming a more common crime in many parts of the country. Here are just a few thefts reported since January 1, 2012.
--Arkansas: 145 head stolen from Yellow Creek Ranch. The thief entered the pasture, separated the cattle by weight, and loaded them onto stock trailers.
--Oklahoma: 178 head stolen from two livestock markets, allegedly by the same individual. The man arrested for the theft is a former Sallisaw police officer.
--Texas: 17 cows/calves taken from pastures near the Johnson and Ellis County line. The cows were branded with a turkey track on their left hip.
--Nebraska: 13 bred cows, black. Stolen from Sioux County.
Law enforcement officials emphasize that it can be virtually impossible to find and prove ownership of stolen cattle if they are not identified.
Victims of theft should be able to provide a description of the animals lost, including breed, age, sex and any identification numbers or brands. This allows for proof of ownership, and often helps convict offenders when they are caught. Even when witnesses see the theft, it can be hard to prove without good livestock identification in the form of ear tags, ear marks tattooing or branding.
Cattle Thieves Getting Bolder As Prices Climb
Victoria G. Myers Progressive Farmer Senior Editor
Bio | Email
Mon Jun 18, 2012 10:35 AM CDT
Print Email
For 50 years the East Tennessee Livestock Center at Sweetwater has held a weekly cattle sale. It was news to just two groups of people -- those who had cattle to sell, and those who had money to buy. But that all changed early in the morning May 31, when a tractor trailer backed in, loaded up 21 feeders, and disappeared.
A spate of cattle thefts across the country, underscores the need for extra security. (DTN/Progressive Farmer photo by Claire Vath)
Since the theft, media attention has focused on the crime and law enforcement has been working to find the missing cattle. Mark and Jennifer Houston run this family-owned livestock market, started in 1962 by Mark's dad Joe. Mark says they sell some 50,000 head annually, and since the operation began they had only lost one or two head to thieves.
"Nothing like this has ever happened, not on this scale," says Houston. "The cattle had already been sold, and were waiting to be picked up. They had back tags on them, but those are easy to remove. That means there probably won't be any way to identify them."
Houston says he's working through things with his insurance carrier, but wants to stress that given the price for beef right now, thieves are just looking for an opportunity.
"This could happen to anybody. Cattle are as high as they've been in years. Anyone with facilities close to roadways, where it's easy access, they need to be sure everything is locked and if they can, add to surveillance." Houston says he's adding more security to his facilities.
Cattle theft is becoming a more common crime in many parts of the country. Here are just a few thefts reported since January 1, 2012.
--Arkansas: 145 head stolen from Yellow Creek Ranch. The thief entered the pasture, separated the cattle by weight, and loaded them onto stock trailers.
--Oklahoma: 178 head stolen from two livestock markets, allegedly by the same individual. The man arrested for the theft is a former Sallisaw police officer.
--Texas: 17 cows/calves taken from pastures near the Johnson and Ellis County line. The cows were branded with a turkey track on their left hip.
--Nebraska: 13 bred cows, black. Stolen from Sioux County.
Law enforcement officials emphasize that it can be virtually impossible to find and prove ownership of stolen cattle if they are not identified.
Victims of theft should be able to provide a description of the animals lost, including breed, age, sex and any identification numbers or brands. This allows for proof of ownership, and often helps convict offenders when they are caught. Even when witnesses see the theft, it can be hard to prove without good livestock identification in the form of ear tags, ear marks tattooing or branding.
