Agricultural crime: Data reveals local government area hot spots
High livestock prices and drone sightings have Victorian farmers worried about a spike in theft as new data reveals the number of criminal incidents on ag land by shire. See the map.
A SPIKE in livestock theft is anticipated as prices for cattle hit record highs, and some farmers have already caught drones flying over their properties to scope out assets.
Victorian Farmers Federation livestock group president Leonard Vallance said the amount of theft on farms was “pathetic” and more thieves were now using drones to check out properties before breaking in.
“There have been reports of them being used for surveillance on a farm at Ouyen and more farmers are now hearing them on their properties,” he said.
Mr Vallance said he anticipated a spike in livestock theft this winter because prices were so strong.
“The concern is where do all these stolen stock go? There has to be someone assisting in the rehoming and retagging of them,” he said.
Victoria Police farm crime unit co-ordinator Inspector Karl Curran said there was already a “slight increase” in farm-related crimes recently, including livestock, tools, equipment and chemical thefts.
“These increases may be attributed to people travelling to more remote locations to commit offences and the increases in livestock prices,” he said.
Insp Curran said farmers should securely store their tools, equipment and lock vehicles and sheds at all times.
“In addition, we encourage them to clearly mark their equipment and tools with their Victorian driver’s licence number to prevent thefts and for police to identify owners when they recover items,” he said.
New data from Victoria’s Crime Statistics Agency shows there were 2051 criminal offences reported at agricultural properties between March 2019 and March 2020 — an increase of 12 per cent on the previous year and 32 per cent five years ago.
In the past year, the local government areas that recorded the most criminal incidents, which can include multiple offences per incident, at an agricultural property were Campaspe, Mildura, Moira, Baw Baw, Greater Bendigo, Cardinia, Yarra Ranges and Wellington, respectively.
Over the past five years, criminal incidents at agricultural properties in Alpine, Baw Baw, Cardinia, Hindmarsh, Horsham, Indigo, Strathbogie, West Wimmera, Whittlesea and Wyndham have more than doubled. Incidents at East Gippsland, Glenelg and Mansfield have doubled, while Wangaratta, Surf Coast, Swan Hill and Hepburn have seen significant decreases.
However, Insp Curran said there were anomalies in the capture of the newly released data that mean incidents that occur on a farm are not necessarily farm crimes.
“For example, they may be drug possession, graffiti, or family violence incidents that have simply occurred on an agricultural property,” he said.
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