"cattle theft" news and stories

Would you steal this steer? Photo: longhorndave, Flickr

Law enforcement officials are blaming current economic woes for the resurgence of a very old-fashioned crime: cattle rustling.

Cattle farmers across the South are coping with an uptick in livestock theft that they claim could endanger their livelihoods. According to the Alabama Department of Agriculture, the state this year has already surpassed the number of cattle theft incidents recorded in 2008, with more than 200 cows swiped since January.

"They're getting the cattle, taking them and selling them," explains Billy Powell, executive vice president for the Alabama Cattlemen's Association.

Powell believes the rise in cattle crime reflects the desperation of some rural Alabamians. As anyone who's ever wrangled cattle will attest, cows are strong, dumb and feisty, which makes them notoriously difficult to move. There's a reason Hollywood assumed it took guys like John Wayne to get the job done.

"It's a lot easier to steal ATVs and riding lawn mowers," Powell says.