Up to ‘several truckloads’ of cattle stolen in outback QLD

Police are appealing for information after a “significant” number of cattle were stolen in outback Queensland.

Police believe a "significant" number of shorthorn cattle have been stolen from outback QLD. Picture: Supplied/QPS

A “significant” number of cattle have been stolen in outback North Queensland, with police appealing to the public for information.

Police believe the animals were stolen from property north of Doomadgee, in the northwest corner of Queensland about 140km from the Northern Territory border, over multiple occasions between September and November 2023.

“It’s a large amount, we’re not talking one or two here, (it’s) a significant amount, several, and possibly could be up to several truckloads,” Rural Stock Crime Squad Northern Area co-ordinator Detective Senior Sergeant Paul Elliot said.

Police believe a "significant" number of Shorthorn cattle have been stolen from outback QLD. Picture: Supplied/QPS

The fact that up to several truckloads of cows were stolen has led investigators to believe the theft was done on multiple occasions using just one or two trucks.

With effectively only one road in and out of the area of the alleged theft, detectives said several trucks visiting in one go would have attracted too much attention.

“Somebody or a group of people have trespassed onto a property that doesn’t belong to them and removed cattle from that property,” Sergeant Elliot said.

“Then they’ve moved those cattle out of that area and onto other areas, possibly interstate or within Queensland.”

The area the cattle were stolen from is north of Doomadgee, in northwestern QLD not far from the NT border. Picture: Google Maps

Fraud investigators are now involved because the thieves are believed to have branded the stolen Shorthorn cattle as their own.

This was possible because the animals were “cleanskins”, unmanaged cattle which do not have any branding or ear tags to link them to their owner.

“When people trespass onto other people’s land (and are) rounding up a mob of cleanskins, they’re actually stealing cattle off the person that owns them,” Sergeant Elliot said.

“Then they legitimise those cattle by putting their own identifying marks and earmarks and tags in those cattle.”

The value of the stolen cattle is difficult to estimate, as because they were unmonitored it is impossible to know how healthy they are.

Even a conservative estimate of $500 a cow would yield a return for thieves of $25,000 if they stole 50 cattle.

Although cattle rustling might conjure up images of Western films and a bygone era, Sergeant Elliot said the issue was still common in outback farming communities.

“It’s prevalent within the state of Queensland,” he said.

“It’s definitely a continuing type of crime, it can be opportunistic or it can be methodical and calculated.”

“We have enough work to keep us going for a lot longer than just this case.”

Anyone who has information regarding the stolen cattle is urged to contact their local police station.

Originally published as Up to ‘several truckloads’ of cattle stolen in outback QLD