Wild West-style cattle rustling is becoming a nightmare for British farmers.
Tens of thousands of sheep and cattle are being stolen from farms every year. Estimates are that some 90,000 sheep alone are taken from farmland.
Farms in Lancashire, the North East and Northern Ireland have been particularly hit, but insurance groups say the crime is on the rise in other parts of Britain as well.
Reported crimes rose by 170% in 2011 and have continued to go up every year since then.
Most of the stolen livestock is never found, which has led to fears that most of the animals are slaughtered illegally and being sold to consumers. Rising meat prices are believed to be responsible for the crime wave.
Food hygiene risks are certainly a concern surrounding illegal slaughtering and packaging as is that of the possibility of a renewed outbreak of foot and mouth.
NFU Mutual said those involved were obviously people with the skills and experience needed to handle large numbers of animals quietly and efficiently.
“We used to see small numbers of stock being stolen, three to five animals at a time, but that has increased dramatically with up to 200 animals being taken in a raid. The rustling is being carried out on a much more organised scale,” its spokesperson said.
Last year rural crime was estimated to have cost the British economy around £44.5 million, up more than 5% on 2012.
