Cattle Raisers offer reward for information on theft

FORT WORTH, Texas, December 4, 2006–Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association has established a new reward program to help quash the recent resurgence in cattle theft.
      “The number of thefts is directly related to the price of cattle,” says Larry Gray, TSCRA’s director of law enforcement. “With prices near all-time record levels over the past 2 1’/2 years, our Special Rangers have really been busy.”
      The number and value of recovered livestock and related items reflect just how busy TSCRA’s investigators have been.
      In 2005 they recovered 5,199 head of cattle and related items with a market value of $6,232,972. This compares to 2,447 recovered in 2004, valued at $4,025,115.
      TSCRA leaders decided something had to be done and suggested a program similar to Operation Game Thief, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s crimestopper program.
      TSCRA directors Nixon Dillard and Bob McKnight, chair and vice chair of the Brand and Inspection Committee, invited OGT program director Capt. Buddy Turner to describe the program during TSCRA’s 2006 convention.
      “There is no stronger deterrent to a poacher than the knowledge that his peers find his philosophy and actions unacceptable to the point that they will report him to the game warden,” Capt. Turner told committee members.
      He said many callers don’t want the money, but the publicity about the reward makes them aware of who to call when they see something amiss.
      Brand and Inspection Committee members thought a similar program would encourage members of the general public to report livestock-related theft activity to TSCRA. They forwarded the idea to TSCRA’s law enforcement arm. A plan was drafted and approved.
      Called Operation Cow Thief, the program will provide a reward to citizens who provide information leading to the arrest and/or Grand Jury indictment of individuals for theft of livestock or related property.
      Participation in the program is available to TSCRA members and non-members alike.
      An administrative committee composed of three Special Rangers, three supervisors and Gray will determine whether an informant merits a reward and the amount of the reward.
      The toll-free Operation Cow Thief phone line at 1 (888) 830-2333 is monitored 24 hours a day.
      An informant may remain anonymous by giving a pseudonym and may be paid by cashier’s check made out to the bearer.
      Operation Cow Thief is a charitable reward fund supported by voluntary, tax-deductible contributions from TSCRA members, non-members and corporate sponsorships.
      To contribute, make checks payable to Operation Cow Thief and mail to Operation Cow Thief, 1301 W. Seventh, St., Fort Worth, Texas 76102.

      Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association is a 129-year-old trade organization whose 14,100 members manage approximately 4.9 million cattle on 66.6 million acres of range and pasture land, primarily in Texas and Oklahoma.

TSCRA-29-2006