Law Enforcement and Livestock Inspection
 

TSCRA Special Rangers recover nearly $5 million
in stolen livestock and equipment in 2006

FORT WORTH, Texas, March 20, 2007—Stolen livestock and ranch equipment worth nearly $5 million were recovered or accounted for in 2006 by the Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association. The Fort Worth-based producer group was founded 130 years ago to fight the theft problem.
          TSCRA currently has 27 special rangers stationed strategically throughout Texas and Oklahoma who have in-depth knowledge of the cattle industry and are trained in all facets of law enforcement. All are commissioned as Special Rangers by the Texas Department of Public Safety and/or the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation.         
          In 2006, the association’s special rangers investigated 1,045 cases in Texas and Oklahoma, primarily involving stray or stolen livestock. Working closely with federal, state and local law enforcement officers, the special rangers recovered or accounted for 3,716 head of cattle, 144 horses, 10 trailers, 18 saddles and 414 items of miscellaneous ranch property, which had a total market value of $4,878,722.39. The average value of property recovered or accounted for each day was $13,366.
          Offenders were given 168 years of prison, probated, deferred or suspended sentences and ordered to perform one year and 1,820 hours of community service. In addition, the courts ordered those convicted to pay $370,112 in restitution to the victims, $32,957 in fines and $8,415 in court costs.
          The association also employs 72 market inspectors who identified 5,075,952 head of cattle sold through the 116 auction markets in Texas during 2006. The inspectors report their findings to the group’s Fort Worth headquarters, where the information is processed for computer retrieval. TSCRA distributes information on missing and stolen livestock to more than 700 law enforcement agencies nationwide.
          TSCRA Director of Law Enforcement Larry Gray 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 special ranger or the Fort Worth office for theft prevention and brand information.

            Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association is a 130-year-old trade organization whose 14,500 members manage approximately 5.4 million cattle on 70.3 million acres of range and pasture land, primarily in Texas and Oklahoma.

TSCRA-7-2007