10 Apr 2014

The Botswana Police Service (BPS) has revealed that plans are underway to reduce incidences of stock theft in the country.

Speaking at a Vision 2016 smart partnership workshop in Masunga recently, BPS deputy divisional commander-north, Assistant Commissioner Chajane Baleseng, said efforts were ongoing to control stock theft in the country.

He said the police service had set up a stock theft unit and also developed an anti-stock theft strategy. Furthermore, Assistant Commissioner Baleseng said government had set up special stock theft courts which were presided over by Batswana magistrates.

“This was done with a view to making it difficult for perpetrators to get away without being punished for their criminal activities,” he said.

He further revealed that members of the Botswana Police Service regularly met with their Zimbabwean counterparts on a monthly basis to devise strategies on how to contain cross-border theft of livestock. Assistant Commissioner Baleseng said there had been an increase in stock theft cases in the northern parts of the country from 807 cases recorded in 2012 to 814 in 2013.

He added that last year some farmers lost their cattle to rustlers who pretended to be butchery owners. He said the thieves convinced the farmers to sell them their cattle on credit with the promise to pay in a matter of weeks only to disappear without a trace.

He further pleaded with farmers to exercise great caution when selling their livestock to people. ENDS