FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

TSCRA Inspectors Recover More Than $4.03 Million
In Stolen Livestock and Equipment in 2004

FORT WORTH, Texas, March 21, 2005—Stolen livestock and ranch equipment worth more than $4.03 million were recovered or accounted for in 2004 by the Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association. The Fort Worth-based producer group was founded 128 years ago to fight the theft problem.
            In an annual report given March 21 to members attending TSCRA’s annual convention in Fort Worth, Executive Vice President Matt Brockman said that in 2004, the association’s 29 field inspectors, all certified peace officers with Special Ranger commissions, investigated 1,214 cases in Texas and Oklahoma, primarily involving stray or stolen livestock.
            Working closely with federal, state and local law enforcement officers, the inspectors recovered or accounted for 2,447 head of cattle, 62 horses, 12 trailers, 17 saddles and 514 items of miscellaneous ranch property, which had a total market value of $4,025,115. The average value of property recovered or accounted for each day was $11,028.
            Offenders were given 120 years of prison, probated, deferred or suspended sentences.  In addition, the courts ordered those convicted to pay $1,704,816 in restitution to the victims and $24,002 in fines and court costs.
            Brockman said the association also employs 72 market inspectors who identify more than 4.5 million head of cattle at the time of sale at approximately 118 auction markets in Texas each year. TSCRA also inspects all horses at commercial processing plants in Texas. The inspectors report their findings to the group’s Fort Worth headquarters, where the information is processed for computer retrieval.
            Brockman encouraged all cattle producers and owners of other livestock and farm and ranch equipment to take steps to protect themselves from theft. He invited them to contact their local TSCRA field inspector or the Fort Worth office for theft prevention and brand information.
            Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association is a 128-year-old trade organization whose 12,500 members manage approximately 5.4 million cattle on 70.3 million acres of range and pasture land, primarily in Texas and Oklahoma.

TSCRA-08-2005