Police have arrested 17 stock theft suspects and recovered over 500 stolen animals worth nearly R3-million in the northeastern region of the Eastern Cape in an extensive operation in partnership with organised agriculture.
Agri Eastern Cape (Agri EC) Rural Safety chair Coert Jordaan said on Friday the swoop followed on months of mayhem in the Ugie, Nqanqarhu (Maclear), and Khowa (Elliot) areas with stock thieves running rampant.
He said local farmers reached out to Agri EC to intervene as the situation was dire.
“Thankfully these same farmers had been reporting stock theft incidents on a regular basis to the Agri Ops Coordination Centre, which gave Agri EC the ammunition needed to approach the SA Police Service with their concerns.
“Arrangements were made with the police to conduct a special stock theft operation in the affected areas, and the result has been a massive success.
“The operation ran for two weeks and led to the arrest of 17 suspects and the recovery of over 512 cattle, sheep and goats. The total estimated value of the recovered stock has already exceeded R2.7m.
“We anticipate there will be more arrests as different cases are followed up.”
Agri EC launched the Agri Ops Coordination Centre in 2022 in response to the 2021 KwaZulu-Natal unrest.
The centre has since evolved into a multimillion-rand security hub co-ordinating safety efforts among farmers, security firms and law enforcement units, and combining advanced technology and grassroots initiatives.
Jordaan said the operation was co-ordinated with seven police stock theft units, 12 police stations and additional SAPS resources.
“Agri Eastern Cape would like to thank the SAPS for their efforts, the results, and the good honest police work that was conducted.
“About 124 head of cattle, 167 sheep and 221 goats were recovered and either impounded or returned to the rightful owners during this operation.
“This excludes the carcasses that were also recovered.”
He said most of the suspects were from the former Transkei area.
“They raid all along the old Transkei border stealing from emerging, communal and commercial farmers.
“We have evidence that shows they steal some stock for slaughter and some for breeding in their own herds.”
HeraldLIVE
Police recover 512 stolen farm animals in Ugie area swoop
Image: SUPPLIED
Police have arrested 17 stock theft suspects and recovered over 500 stolen animals worth nearly R3-million in the northeastern region of the Eastern Cape in an extensive operation in partnership with organised agriculture.
Agri Eastern Cape (Agri EC) Rural Safety chair Coert Jordaan said on Friday the swoop followed on months of mayhem in the Ugie, Nqanqarhu (Maclear), and Khowa (Elliot) areas with stock thieves running rampant.
He said local farmers reached out to Agri EC to intervene as the situation was dire.
“Thankfully these same farmers had been reporting stock theft incidents on a regular basis to the Agri Ops Coordination Centre, which gave Agri EC the ammunition needed to approach the SA Police Service with their concerns.
“Arrangements were made with the police to conduct a special stock theft operation in the affected areas, and the result has been a massive success.
“The operation ran for two weeks and led to the arrest of 17 suspects and the recovery of over 512 cattle, sheep and goats. The total estimated value of the recovered stock has already exceeded R2.7m.
“We anticipate there will be more arrests as different cases are followed up.”
Agri EC launched the Agri Ops Coordination Centre in 2022 in response to the 2021 KwaZulu-Natal unrest.
The centre has since evolved into a multimillion-rand security hub co-ordinating safety efforts among farmers, security firms and law enforcement units, and combining advanced technology and grassroots initiatives.
Jordaan said the operation was co-ordinated with seven police stock theft units, 12 police stations and additional SAPS resources.
“Agri Eastern Cape would like to thank the SAPS for their efforts, the results, and the good honest police work that was conducted.
“About 124 head of cattle, 167 sheep and 221 goats were recovered and either impounded or returned to the rightful owners during this operation.
“This excludes the carcasses that were also recovered.”
He said most of the suspects were from the former Transkei area.
“They raid all along the old Transkei border stealing from emerging, communal and commercial farmers.
“We have evidence that shows they steal some stock for slaughter and some for breeding in their own herds.”
HeraldLIVE
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