Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association (TSCRA) Special Ranger John Cummings is seeking information after 24 head of cattle were stolen from the Stilwell Livestock Auction.
Operation Cow Thief, an anti-theft initiative led by TSCRA is offering cash reward of up to $1,000 for information leading to the recovery of the animals and arrest of the person or persons responsible for the crime.
It's believed that the perpetrator or perpetrators entered the Stilwell Livestock Auction barn at an unknown time in the overnight hours between Tuesday, June 5, and Wednesday, June 6, 2018. The suspect or suspects made entry by cutting a padlock and are then believed to have loaded the animals onto a trailer for transport.
The stolen cattle all had yellow ear tags, and include:
• Seven black Brangus heifers weighing approximately 700 pounds
• One black Brangus steer weighing approximately 700 pounds
• 12 black steers weighing approximately 475-550 pounds
• Four black heifers weighing approximately 475-500 pounds.
The case is being investigated by TSCRA Special Ranger Cummings with the assistance of the Adair County Sheriff's Office. Anyone with information that could help identify the perpetrators is asked to call TSCRA's Operation Cow Thief hotline at 888-830-2333, Special Ranger John Cummings at 918-342-0888 or the Adair County Sheriff's Office at 918-696-2106.
All information is kept confidential and tips may be provided anonymously.
TSCRA's Special Rangers are an elite group of law enforcement officers who have extensive knowledge of the cattle industry and primarily investigate cattle theft and other agricultural crimes, though they are well-trained in all facets of law enforcement. In all, TSCRA has 30 Special Rangers stationed throughout Texas and Oklahoma who are commissioned through the Texas Department of Public Safety or Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation.
The Special Rangers also oversee more than 80 TSCRA market inspectors who collect data, such as brands and other identifying marks on 4 to 5 million cattle sold at 100 Texas livestock markets each year. That information is entered into the TSCRA's recording and retrieval system, which is a vital tool for law enforcement when investigating theft cases.
For more TSCRA news releases, visit tscra.org.
General News on 06/13/2018