THE New England local area command has had the highest rate of stock theft incidents over the past three years, it has been revealed during Rural Crime Week 2017.
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Western region commander, Assistant Commissioner Geoff McKechnie, said it was a costly crime for people on the land.
Statistics showed that in NSW livestock theft, incidents of sheep stealings were the highest, then cattle theft.
Related: Cops called after stock thefts
“Cattle, sheep and other livestock are very valuable, so it doesn’t take too many head to be stolen to have a significant impact on producers,” Assistant Commissioner McKechnie said.
“Our rural crime investigators are very dedicated and often operate their own properties, giving them an innate understanding of the industry and the challenges they face.”
Specialist training for rural crime investigators was part of an ongoing strategy targeting rural crime, he said.
A biennial, nationally accredited course delivered by the Department of Primary Industries was held for the second time in Goulburn and Marulan in the lead-up to Rural Crime Week.
The training involved equipping officers with techniques to handle, muster, move, identify and draft livestock.
The next-highest rates of stock theft occur in Monaro and Darling River, Assistant Commissioner McKechnie said.
“The NSW Police is committed to reducing rural crime and we’re very keen to hear from anyone with information that could help our officers in tackling this issue,” he said.
“We encourage all farmers to get to know their local rural crime investigator, and to report any crime, no matter how big or small.”
Range of issues
Apart from stock theft, other areas of focus during the week have been illegal hunting and trespass, firearm theft and safe storage, and rural crime prevention.
NSW Police called on licensed firearm owners to make sure their weapons were safely and securely stored as per new requirements from September 1.
“Firearm theft is an issue the NSW Police Force is working hard to address, but we need the attentive support of licensed firearm owners,” Assistant Commissioner McKechnie said.
“If you own guns, you have a legal responsibility to ensure they are safely and securely stored and if you are able to go beyond minimum standards, we strongly encourage you to.”
