MALLEE farmers are being urged to remain vigilant after a spike in stolen livestock in the past 12 months.
New data from the Crime Statistics Agency (CSA) showed a nine per cent increase in livestock theft.
The worst instances were in the Buloke local government area, with nine offences recorded (up from seven the previous year, and the most since 12 offences in 2007), five in Gannawarra and two in Swan Hill.
There were 282 livestock stolen across the state, worth more than $1.9 million.
Cattle theft reached a 15-year high with 90 stolen in the year to March 2021.
Just four arrests were made and 231 cases remain unsolved.
Sergeant Andrew Neil, the farm crime liaison officer for the Swan Hill police service area, said while the loss of a hay bale or a tank of diesel might seem insignificant, police wanted to hear about it.
“We want the (arrest) stats to go up,” he said. “We want farmers to report things, even whispers and innuendo.”
Sgt Neil said police had specialised detectives in the field and wanted to develop strong relationships across the rural sector.
“Stock and station agents, farming equipment salespeople, fuel partners – we all need to be on the same page,” he said.
“We want to break down the sense that crime doesn’t matter because of where it is.
“We can’t be complacent because we live in rural areas.
“There are people out there playing on our good faith.”
Sgt Neil said the challenge of policing rural crime areas was that most farmers did not have CCTV.
“It’s remote areas, so they’re out of mind and out of sight,” he said.”So we rely on our farming community to do the best with securing things.
“Having said that, totally understanding how farming works, it’s a challenge to secure things.”
Member for Murray Plains Peter Walsh said it was time for a police rural crime squad to be deployed to tackle the issue of rising livestock theft.
“A lot of rural crime goes unreported because farmers and rural landholders just accept that it will be difficult to get investigators out to help them,” Mr Walsh said.
“It’s a direct result of there being too few front-line police dedicated to solving rural crime and to provide an active and visible police presence in the community.”
A Victorian Government spokesperson said its farm crime coordination unit, established in 2019, was proactively policing these type of offences in regional Victoria.
“Around 67 Farm Crime Liaison Officers (FCLOs) provide strategic, coordinated support to our regional communities when and where it’s needed, and we thank them for their hard work,” they said.
The unit’s role is to monitor crime trends and patterns relating to farm crime and provide strategies and advice to the farming and agricultural community.
“Since the creation of the unit in October 2019 and the reinvigoration of the Farm Crime Liaison Officer (FCLO) role, there has been a strong focus in combating the known issues around the under-reporting of livestock and other farm equipment theft,” the spokesperson said.
TIPS TO BEAT THE THIEVES
Livestock and stockyards
* ensure all stock are identified at an early age (NLIS, eartags, microchips)
* consider photography and videoing your livestock regularly to assist with identification
* keep receipts/ records of any purchase as proof of ownership
* keep track of any agisted stock and their markings
Firearms and equipment
* ensure all firearms are securely stored in approved receptacles with ammunition, bolts and magazines kept separately
* ensure you are returning your firearms to a safe storage unit after you’re finished with your firearm. Do not leave it unattended
* engrave or mark your equipment
* never leave keys to vehicles or machinery in ignition or close by
