Rancher's Management Guide

Pay Attention and Take Action

A "Crime Watch" mentality will help you and your neighbors.

By Ellen H. Brisendine

At the middle of March, the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service Texas Feeder and Replacement Auction report showed substantial values for beef cattle.

Panhandle area auction markets reported 400- to 500-pound steers were selling in the range of $181 to $200.50 per hundred weight — $724 to $1,002 per head.

Medium, young 900- to 1,000-pound cows with 200- to 300-pound calves at side were selling for $1,635 per pair.

Beef cattle owners hear on a regular basis that prices for cattle should hold strong for the next couple of years. So it makes sense to keep a much closer eye on your livestock, and equipment, because it's a sure bet thieves see easy dollar signs on your cattle.

A few years ago, the Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association (TSCRA) special rangers developed "Crime Watch," a reporting mechanism to alert TSCRA members to thefts in their areas. TSCRA Crime Watch reports appear in the daily electronic newsletter, TSCRA News Update. The reports appear the day, or as near to the day, that we receive them at the headquarters. We also run these reports in this magazine, but the fastest reporting occurs in the daily news.

The special rangers provide tips on how to develop a "Crime Watch" mentality.

Special Ranger Scott Williamson
Crime watch is paying attention to what is happening around you and taking action when something gets your attention. When anything makes you take a second look or think, "What's going on?" the crucial step is to act.

This knowledge is of little value if you don't check it out or report it. Call your neighbor on his or her cell phone and ask if an unlocked gate is supposed to be open or if the driver of a specific vehicle has permission to be on the property.

If you notice cattle are penned late in an evening, and you know there is no water in those pens, call the cattle owner and ask about it. Those cattle may have been put there to be taken in the dark of night.

Roddy Pippin was convicted of 4 felony thefts, and more than 40 more cases were cleared, because a young woman driving home late at night saw 2 vehicles hauling cattle after midnight. She wrote down the license plate number, vehicle description and brief description of the cattle in the trailer. Then, most importantly, she reported it to authorities. Her alert attention and action set up the arrest that cleared nearly 50 felony thefts.

Special Ranger Hal Dumas
Be observant and don't hesitate to notify your special ranger about any suspicions you have. Two young men were coon hunting late and heard someone unloading cattle after midnight. They contacted me and we cleared up a number of area cattle thefts.

Special Ranger Jimmy Dickson
A "Crime Watch" mentality is being a nosy neighbor — being someone who notices or is alerted that something or someone is different around your place. "Crime Watch" is also having a neighbor you trust enough to let him or her know when you will be away and when you expect to return.

Know your neighbors' routines. If you see something that does not fit that routine, then safely check it out by calling the neighbor or law enforcement. When possible, get vehicle descriptions, license plate numbers and a description of anyone unfamiliar to you.

Special Ranger Max Hartmann
Jimmy Dickson hit it on the head. The people in the Hill Country part of Texas, in which I have worked for 45 years, have the mentality Jimmy describes — a nosy neighbor. The local ranchers have always watched out for their neighbors and, consequently, report suspicious activity, as well as descriptions of individuals and vehicles.

Landowners who are acquiring ranches in an area where they are not known need to make a concerted effort to contact the local law enforcement and get to know them, as well as become familiar with their neighbors and know who they can and cannot trust.

Special Ranger Larry Hand
For an absentee landowner, a "Crime Watch" mentality is visiting with your local brand inspector. This person will notice your brand to see that you brought the cattle to market.

Allow and encourage a trusted person in the community to fish your ponds, or visit your ranch regularly for some other non-consumptive use. This gives that person a vested interest in watching the ranch while you're gone.

Make sure your ranch is properly POSTED, giving legal notice for no trespass. And, of course, being a TSCRA member will help to remind you to be alert to crime.

Special Ranger Robin Clark
"Crime Watch" is being aware of strange people and vehicles in your area. Make every attempt to get good information on strangers, such as vehicle descriptions and license plate numbers. Develop good contacts with local law enforcement agencies.