Cattle rustling has started again, striking at Irish midland rural areas. The Gardaí and the Irish Farmers Association (IFA) are advising farmers to be extra watchful, especially in relation to any outlying owned or rented farmland, following a spate of recent Wild West style cattle rustling incidents. These incidents have happened here in Tipperary, Galway, Limerick and other midland counties.
Cattle rustling, until recent years, was mainly an isolated Irish North/South border area phenomenon; however cattle thieves are now making massive profits stealing stock from isolated farmsteads in the heartland of Ireland, striking usually under the cover of darkness.
On Monday, October 21st last cattle to the value of €8,000 were believed stolen from a farm near Curran’s Cross, Mountmellick, Co Laois, during the night. Some 15 cows were also taken by cattle rustlers from a farm at Newport, Co Tipperary, last January. A similar robbery was also reported in the nearby area of Castleconnell, Co Limerick.
With prime beef cattle, near finishing, and worth up to €2,000 a head, cattle thieves can make massive profits stealing stock particularly from isolated farmsteads. Since these stolen cattle cannot be legally sent to licensed slaughter houses, it is presumed they are instead being taken to isolated slaughter houses to be butchered and sold out of vans with the carcases later dumped or buried in other remote locations.
Gardaí are requesting farmers to ensure that gates to outside farms are locked and fully secure, thus make it as difficult as possible for thieves to remove animals. They are also asking late night rural motorists to make careful note of persons travelling at night with horse transport trucks, cattle trucks or other such transport vehicles.
Note: Here in Thurles efforts are being made to further revitalise the existing Neighbourhood Watch Schemes in Thurles town, particularly coming up to Christmas. The Thurles Neighbourhood Watch schemes has been of significant benefit to Thurles Gardaí in their fight against house burglaries, minor crime and also ensuring that elderly people, living alone feel protected and safe. So if you are interested in contributing to your local town community, through Neighbourhood Watch, you are invited to attend at Thurles Garda Station on Wednesday next November 20th 2013, at 7.30pm. (Special Note: This Wednesdays meeting is for Thurles town residents only, however existing outlying regional Neighbourhood Watch Schemes can also expect to be visited in the coming months.)
Remember partnership between An Garda Síochána and the public, works on the basis that every member of a community can help to improve the quality of life in their area, by keeping a look out for their neighbours and immediately reporting any suspicious or unusual activities to the Gardaí.
For further information on Thurles Neighbourhood Watch, contact Garda Chris Verling at Thurles Garda Station Tel: 0504-25100 or Mobile: 083 4156785.
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