AG Schmidt’s office places new emphasis on combating cattle theft

By: Kendal Lothman, Office of KS Attorney General

The term “cattle rustling” may conjure up visions of the Wild West, but the crime of livestock theft is alive and well in modern-day Kansas.

Rustlers of yesteryear had many obstacles to overcome. First, they had to have access to the livestock. That was perhaps a little before the advent of fencing, when there were large numbers of cattle on the open range. Next, they had to move the stolen livestock and find a buyer for them.

Herding cattle was the most common way to move the cattle. The bad guy had to sell the cattle fast, which mean they had to find nearby buyer.

The penalty for cattle rustling during those days was usually severe. If a rustler was caught by the cattle owner, they likely would be shot on the spot. If they were caught by a lawman they would probably end up at the end of a rope –after a fair trial of course.

In 2015, bad guys are still stealing cattle, but they now have access to trucks and trailers that can move large numbers of cattle hundreds of miles from their original location in a matter of a few hours – many times before the owner even knows the cattle are missing. With the aid of modern technology, rustlers have access to an unlimited market of buyers across the country and internationally, who might not even be aware they are buying stolen cattle.

To respond to this growing problem Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt and the Kansas Department of Agriculture recognized the need to have state law enforcement resources available to assist local agencies with cattle theft investigations. In 2014, the Livestock and Brand Investigation Unit was created in the Attorney General’s Office. The Unit combines the resources of the two offices and currently consists of one special agent, dedicated entirely to investigate criminal activity as it relates to livestock theft. This Unit’s mission is to protect and serve Kansas livestock producers and those involved in the livestock industry.

While the state has increased resources to investigate cattle theft, it’s best if we can help prevent cattle from being stolen in the first place. The time-tested methods of theft deterrence remain true.

Foremost is branding your livestock. This is still the best way to positively identify and track your livestock. Making sure gates are locked, limiting access to your property and taking regular counts are critical to preventing theft, and timely discovery if cattle are missing.

If you think cattle have been stolen, contact your local law enforcement as soon as possible. Timely reporting is essential to trying to find the livestock before they cross state or international borders and become even harder to track. It’s also important to preserve the crime scene. Do not disturb any footprints or tire tracks that may be used to identify a suspect.

Through proper prevention and thorough investigations, we can reduce cattle theft in Kansas and preserve the livelihood of Kansas ranchers.

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