BETHAL – Livestock worth R530 500 have been stolen between October and February on farms in the Bethal area.
Const Thomas Mogadime, the social crime prevention and communication officer at Bethal Police Station said the stock thieves stole the animals from grazing fields, as well as farmyards.
The police arrested several suspects, but stock theft is still rife.
An ongoing police investigation revealed that after stealing the livestock, the suspects mostly slaughter the animals and sell the meat to local hawkers who specialise in selling food at eMzinoni and at the Bethal taxi rank. However, some of the stolen livestock is also taken to the nearby auctioneers.
“Our investigating officers are facing a challenge with unmarked or unbranded livestock.
“They encourage owners to brand their stock, because when the police recover stolen animals, it is then easier to identify the owners.”
Const Mogadime said it is the duty and responsibility of all owners of cattle, sheep, goats, and pigs to register an identification mark at the office of the registrar of animal identification and to mark his animal in the prescribed manner.
Police also urge the community to refrain from buying stolen goods.
The police shared these safety hints to livestock-owners:
– Livestock-owners should keep all fences and gates in a proper condition to protect their livestock.
– Prevent stolen animals from being hidden on your property. Stock-posts serve as ideal overnight stopovers to hide stolen livestock. Unknown livestock found at such posts should immediately be reported to the police.
– Livestock at stock-post should be counted by the livestock-owner at least once a week.
– Be particularly watchful during full moon, weekends, and at the end or beginning of a month or during periods that you know from your own experience when stock theft (slaughtering for the pot) occur.
– Report unknown animals among your animals immediately to the police.
Investigating officers from the stock theft unit are also concerned about many court cases that are not finalised, because of disputes about proper identification of the animals.
“If an animal is marked with a registered brand mark or tattoo, disputes will be avoided,” commented Const Mogadime.
For information on how to apply for brand marks for identification, or to report suspicious stock-theft activities or incidents to the police, phone 017 647 9929/30 or alternatively contact the following stock theft unit detectives: Capt Louis Fourie at 082 579 0297 OR Sgt James Mthimunye at 082 829 2405.
