About 20 calves were stolen from a private pasture north of Neilburg, Sask., between the last week of November and Dec. 3.
The RCMP detachment at Cut Knife, Sask., is familiar with farm machinery thefts, but it hasn’t seen this before.
“It’s a first for us,” said const. Gary Lariviere. “It’s the first call I’ve had in my six years here.”
Lariviere said the complainant saw vehicles in the pasture but thought they belonged to an oil lease company.
“He didn’t think nothing of it until Dec. 3, when he was going to brand and tag them,” Lariviere said. “The next thing you know they’re missing 19 to 20 calves.”
The calves are Herefords, Red Angus, Black Angus and Charolais. They weren’t branded and had no ear tags.
Police suspect the calves were loaded in a trailer, possibly pulled by a one-ton truck. There is no description of the truck or trailer used in the theft.
Lariviere said there are no signs of forced entry.
“They just drove up, loaded them up and took off. It’s pretty ballsy,” he said.
Lariviere said there are steps cattle owners can take to protect themselves.
“Just make sure your cattle are branded and tagged and be wary of lights in the darkness and check it out. You never know what it might be.”
Members of the public who have information about this or any other crime should contact their nearest police service or local RCMP detachment. They may also call Saskatchewan Crime Stoppers at 800-222-TIPS (8477), through SaskTel Mobility at *8477, text TIP206 plus a message to CRIMES (274637), or submit a tip online at www.saskcrimestoppers.com.
Callers may be eligible for a cash reward of up to $2,000 if information leads to an arrest or a case is cleared.
