Farmers placed on high alert as holiday season nears

Superintendent Oral Pascoe, head of the Praedial Larceny Prevention Coordination Unit in the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF), has reported a troubling rise in cattle thefts in recent times.

Pascoe, in an interview with THE STAR, attributed the surge to the increasing price of beef and heightened demand for protein.

"The price of beef has gone up significantly. When we had the mad cow disease, the price for beef had reduced, but there is a higher demand for protein now. There is a lot of market for it now, so I am getting calls from cattle farmers that persons are stealing their animals and putting them in vehicles and driving off," he said.

Earlier this year, Parliament amended the Agricultural Produce Act to provide for harsher penalties for praedial larceny. Under the amended legislation, the maximum fine for breaches moved from $250,000 or three months in prison to $3 million or three years' imprisonment. However, the threat of harsher penalties has not deterred thieves, some of whom butcher cattle on farms before making off with the carcass. Pascoe told THE STAR that the brazen criminals sometimes cut the heel of the cattle to slow it down and then butcher the animal.

"Once they steal it, they gut it and put it in four quarters and just move it," the cop said. "They usually don't carry the head or belly. They just do a quick operation and move."

Meanwhile, Pascoe said that in addition to cattle, thieves are also targeting goats and vegetables because they are in high demand.

"There is a great deal of theft in Manchester and the southern parishes. There are also farmers who are stealing from other farmers as well," Pascoe said.

With the festive Yuletide season approaching, the lawman has stressed the need for farmers to be vigilant in protecting their crops and animals.

"You have to be aware that at this time of the year, there is normally a spike in the stealing of agricultural products, particularly goats and cattle. This means that persons will have to increase their diligence to ensure that they monitor their animals and that they are using security precautions, especially now," he said.

Meanwhile, in response to the rising threat, the police have stepped up their operational activities to combat praedial larceny. On October 22, Agriculture Minister Floyd Green said that up to September 30, a total of 79 praedial larceny arrests were made, compared to 78 in 2023.

Green advised that there are 137 cases before the courts.

Pascoe told THE STAR yesterday that cops across the island have been told to do more spot checks and a lot more targeted raids.

"The aim is to pick up the movements of these stolen products. The police are playing our part," Pascoe stated.

Last week, the Clarendon police successfully recovered 40 stolen goats during an operation along the Bustamante Highway in the parish.

"This is one of the biggest recoveries since the start of the year, and again it has to do with the police's presence on the road. The police will check for the receipt books, so if they can't determine where the animals were legally obtained, then it usually means that they have been stolen. That was the case with the goats. So far, persons are coming to claim the animals because they have identification marks on them," Pascoe said.