Local farmers and community members helped to find cattle worth thousands stolen from the Fochville area this week.

The owner of the cattle, 33 red Bonsmaras, called for help from neighbours on Thursday 13 June just before 05:00. The animals, a stud bull and 32 cows and young bulls, were stolen from his farm Leeuwpoort next to the N12 near Kraalkop.

Another farmer soon responded that he heard cattle and a shot being fired shortly afterwards.

Various neighbours and members of the Stock Theft Information Centre (Stic) started to help with the search and the bull as well as a heifer was found back in the Venterspost area.

The search continued through the day.

Although a drone was also used in the search, a big breakthrough came when yet another farmer at Koksrust near Randfontein reported after 17:40 that his employee saw a bakkie and unknown cattle on his farm.

As this was close to where some of the other cattle were spotted, the owners rushed to the scene and found the last remaining cattle. Two suspected stock thieves were also arrested.