Agricultural News
Cattle Theft Increases Dramatically, ODAFF Agents Appeal for Help, Cattlemen's Association Offers $10,000 Reward
Tue, 01 Jun 2010 13:54:42 CDT
An increase in cattle theft over the past 90 days has prompted Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry agents to ask for information from the public and help from other law enforcement agencies.
"We've received reports of 321 head of cattle stolen since March," said ODAFF agent, Captain Jerry Flowers. "This activity has been especially active in northwest Oklahoma but it is occurring statewide."
He said agents only have one vehicle description from a case in Woodward County. A ranch hand arrived just as the thieves were loading cattle.
"They jumped in the truck and took off without closing the trailer gate and the cattle jumped out," Flowers said. "One of the suspects, a Hispanic male, fired a rifle at the ranch hand who returned fire with his own rifle. We think that either the truck or trailer probably has a bullet hole."
The pickup was a red Chevrolet with chrome type wheels and was pulling a white Titan Gooseneck stock trailer with Kansas tags. He said anyone with information that might be helpful is encouraged to call local authorities or his office at (405) 522-6102.
Agents have recently arrested three suspects for cattle thefts in Kingfisher and McCurtain County but have many more cases without leads. Scott Dewald, executive vice president of the Oklahoma Cattlemen's Association, said his organization will pay up to $10,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of anyone stealing cattle from one of its members.
Flowers said ODAFF is asking county sheriff departments and the Oklahoma Highway Patrol to assist by checking stock trailers moving at night or showing other suspicious behavior. Citizens are encouraged to watch and identify individuals hauling trailers that appear overloaded with cattle and using back roads.
He also offered the following tips for cattlemen: Keep pastures secure, lock your gates; Control access to keys or combinations to your locks on gates; Brand, ear tag or microchip cattle and horses. Make sure your brand is recorded with the Oklahoma Cattleman's Association. Keep permanent records of all forms of ID; Photographs of animals showing distinctive markings are beneficial during recovery; Count cattle on a regular basis, the more delay in learning cattle are missing decreases the chance of recovery; Don't build pens close to a roadway; Don't feed in your pens; Don't establish a routine when feeding. Vary the times you feed; Watch out for your neighbors, take down tag numbers of suspicious vehicles, report suspicious activities to law enforcement or neighbors.
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