26 Aug 2013

Residents of Orapa and Rakops policing areas have been advised to work hand in hand with the police to combat increasing cases of stock theft that are rampant in Boteti.

Senior Superintendent Isaiah Makala said last year between April and June, Orapa and Rakops police stations recorded 22 cases of stock theft compared to 39 cases under the same period this year. Supt Makala said the trend was a serious concern as most households in Boteti were dependent on livestock for their livelihoods.

He said police had established that thieves targeted livestock without brand marks, thus he appealed to farmers to brand their livestock for easy identification.
In an effort to enlighten the communities to join hands with the police towards fighting the criminal act, Supt Makala said they were embarking on addressing workshops throughout the villages in the concerned areas.

He said the police had also established negligence on the part of livestock owners as they did not employ herd boys to take care of their cattle posts and therefore giving the thieves to freely commit such crimes without being noticed.

Supt Makala had also advised the community to come forward and help with evidence that would lead to apprehending the perpetrators. Supt Makala said the flowing Boteti River could also be contributing to the situation as water is readily available making it difficult for farmers to control their cattle.

However, Supt Makala is optimistic that with the support of the public and community volunteers patrolling at cattle posts the situation will be under control.
He said even though some suspects had been brought before the court of law and charged accordingly, the problem seems to be far from over; a clear indication that the thieves are working as a syndicate.

Supt Makala had also indicated that the judicial process of disbursing cases at magistrate court appear to be slow, resulting in some of the livestock kept in police custody as evidence dying due to unforeseen circumstances. He said the area is also greatly affected by drought which has greatly affected the livestock industry. ENDS