Goat thieves plague St Catherine community

Small farmer Glenroy Wilks is gravely concerned about goat thieves who are targeting his rural St Catherine community of Bellas Gate. When THE STAR visited the community, the 62-year-old Wilks was seen sharpening his machete.

"I am very angry dat goat tief a plague di place. I have to be working on shift with mi machete and mi dawg to secure mi animal dem. I have to sleep early and watch di pen a day," he said. "I have seen people cry because a goat tief who tek it (a goat) off dem veranda. I have to even tie mi dog pon di post fi help mi defend mi goat dem."

The community has a few shops, garages and bars, but there is still unemployment, so farming is an outlet for many.

INSIDE HELP

Residents also said the thieves seem to have inside help, as within the last few months, more than 50 goats have been stolen.

"We realised that the goat business is di popular choice (for thieves). We find dat them have transportation and market fi di goat, so as you as you turn you back, braps dem tief you," resident Myrtle Duffus said. Having raised the goats to send their children to school and to maintain their households, many are left in mourning when the animals are stolen, reeling from significant losses.

"When dem tief the people goats, dem sell it fi less. So when it value $100,000, di tief sell it fi all $30,000. That is wicked and it affi stop or serious ting a go happen," one man said.

When the news team ventured into Blue Hole, Bellfield, Brown's Hall and other communities, there were similar cries.

"As time gets harder a di more dem tief. Some will watch you raise the animal, den dem strike," a businessman said.

Meanwhile, the problems have been made more challenging for residents as theft are up and businesses are suffering due to COVID-19 pandemic restrictions.

A police source told THE STAR that the lawmen are working on a strategy to deal with the thieves.