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New stock squad call
19 May 2004
Farmers are calling for the re-establishment of a stock squad, following a spate of livestock thefts in north-west Victoria. They say the difficulty in catching offenders is exacerbated by Victoria Police's lack of livestock knowledge. One St Arnaud farmer said he'd had White Suffolk maiden ewes stolen but the police didn't know the difference between these sheep and Merinos.
The Victorian Farmers' Federation said it has called for more police resources to tackle livestock theft but got little response from the State Government. Police priorities have shifted to other areas from livestock theft, but farmers are jack of being treated like second-class citizens, a VFF livestock spokesman said.
But Superintendent Doug O'Loughlin said 116 police officers have attended seminars on rural crime across Victoria over the past two years. He said it's imperative that farmers keep accurate records of stock numbers and notify police immediately of any theft. A senior constable from the Stawell Criminal Investigation Unit also said farmers should maintain fencing and be vigilant about suspicious cars and sales of livestock.
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