Farm crime: Livestock theft rises as Crime Stoppers focus on under-reporting

Authorities have a new message for farmers to tackle the under-reporting of farm crime, as new data reveals livestock theft isn’t slowing down.

Livestock theft and other farm crime continues to climb in Victoria, with farmers losing almost $2 million of stock in a single year.

However, despite the concerning numbers on record, authorities say under-reporting is still rife.

Crime Stoppers will launch a new campaign next week encouraging farmers and rural residents to use the service, even if it is anonymously.

“There has been an increase in just over 2 per cent in crime occurring on agricultural properties (in the last year) and that’s been an ongoing problem for many years now,” chief executive Stella Smith said.

“The benefit of coming to Crime Stoppers is that it really takes away any fear that people have about needing to be 100 per cent accurate or know the crime.

“If you’re not 100 per cent confident about it, it doesn’t matter. It may help an investigation that’s underway somewhere else. It may help an investigation when someone else has an issue in the future.”

Ms Smith said quite often offenders strike the same victim twice, so it was important farmers reported information to try to stop offenders before their property was targeted again.

She said Crime Stoppers took away some of the major barriers that stopped people reporting farm crime.

“These people can live in local communities where they’re reluctant to come forward, everybody knows everybody,” she said. “They don’t want to be seen walking into a police station sometimes.

“They can fear getting involved in a lengthy case and that doesn’t happen if they come to Crime Stoppers.

“We’re not interested in who the person is who is reporting it, that’s not our focus. Our focus is protecting those people that come to us.”

There were 2762 items stolen from Victorian farms in the last financial year, according to the latest data from Crime Statistics Agency released yesterday.

The data showed 245 livestock worth $1,982,499 were stolen, compared to 238 the year before.

There were 256 offences of livestock theft recorded, and yet only two arrests.

VFF livestock president Steve Harrison said the stats showed more needed to be done.

“We’re all at fault with this – we’ve been talking the talk that industry needs to be more proactive and farmers have to be more vigilant on this situation,” he said.

“And a combination of not doing all these things means it's a continuing problem. Until we get those arrest rates up the problem will continue.”

He said the Crime Stoppers’ campaign was a great place to start, with anonymous reporting a good incentive, but everyone would have to get behind it to ensure it works.

“Some landholders may be reluctant to dob in their neighbour but this way any information will hopefully lead to an arrest,” Mr Harrison said.

“All of industry has to get behind this to see a reduction in stock and theft – police, stock agents, farmers and the public.”

The campaign officially launches next Wednesday. Signs for farmers’ gates to promote reporting, while doubling as a deterrent, and checklists on how to keep your property safe will be available on Crime Stoppers’ website.

To report information about farm crime call 1800 333 000 or visit www.crimestoppersvic.com.au