Livestock theft: Victoria joins national police operation with random truck inspections

Victoria has joined other states in random inspections of livestock carriers to identify and disrupt the movement of stolen stock across Australia. Here’s what you need to know.

States are sharing information on livestock theft to tackle the rising issue.

VICTORIA has joined other Australian states in a cross-border police operation targeting livestock theft.

Operation Stock Check, which involves random inspections of livestock carriers to identify and disrupt the movement of stolen stock across Australia, was launched by NSW Police last August and was rolled out across Western Australia, Queensland and Northern Territory in December.

Due to coronavirus restrictions, the Victorian operation was delayed and the blitz started in the state this month.

In NSW, there has been a 147 per cent increase in the number of livestock carrier inspections conducted by police since the operation began.

“We are working with other law enforcement agencies to enhance our ability to ensure rural crime has no borders,” said NSW Police rural crime co-ordinator Detective Chief Inspector Cameron Whiteside.

A Queensland Police spokeswoman said the collaborative approach and information sharing was critical to disrupting and preventing this type of crime.

“Major and Organised Crime Squad Rural will continue sharing their skillsets with, and supporting, district police so that any police officer, any time, in any location can stop and check a vehicle carrying livestock,” she said.

Victoria Police farm crime co-ordinator Inspector Karl Curran said the operation also allowed police to speak to stock owners about their concerns.

Bendigo saleyards was the target of a blitz a little over a week ago, with more than 70 trailers and trucks checked for indications of stolen livestock, biosecurity risks, compliance with regulations around vendor declarations and animal welfare.

It is believed police were looking for any telltale signs that eartags or animal IDs had been tampered with.

Farm crime liaison officer Dan O’Bree, who is based at Bendigo and led the operation, said it certainly got the community talking.

“The police presence certainly got chins wagging, and having a proactive presence certainly makes it a bit harder on the crooks out there, and we have already had requests to do more saleyard checks like it,” he said.

No charges have been laid in Victoria from Operation Stock Check. However, police said a number of inquiries had been made on suspicions regarding a number of transporters.

It comes after an estimated $200,000 worth of sheep and lambs went missing in Victoria in February.

Other states did not say if charges had been laid from the operation.

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