High price of food could lead to thefts of Northamptonshire animals slaughtered for meat value
FEARS have been raised that the high price of food could spark a fresh wave of rural crime in Northamptonshire, as organised gangs target farms, slaughtering or stealing animals for their meat.
Rural watchdog the Country Land and Business Association (CLA) has warned shoppers, butchers and catering firms to be wary of cheap meat on offer on the doorstep or from the back of vans, over fears animals are being butchered without regard to health and hygiene controls.
Trevor Foss, from the National Farmers Union, advised farmers to be vigilant and to take the registration details of livestock trailers travelling the county late at night, but said such crimes were “difficult to guard against”.
He said: “Sheep are the most common target. Obviously you can’t kill a huge bullock and carry that away, but sheep are more manageable and can be killed on the spot and the meat taken away.
“This sort of crime has always happened to a certain degree,” he added. “But it does seem to be happening more now, in the current economic climate.
“Yorkshire and the Lake District are particularly affected, with quite large numbers of these crimes, but thankfully the situation in Northamptonshire doesn’t seem to be as bad.”
The CLA says in the past year farms across the UK have been targeted by thieves for their sheep, pigs, cattle, and even bees, costing farmers millions of pounds. Swans and carp have also been plundered from rivers and lakes for food.
In July the Chronicle & Echo reported how sheep rustlers armed with a hunting rifle raided an isolated field between Culworth and Chipping Warden overnight, slaughtering dozens of lambs.
The gang, believed to be supplying illicit meat on the black market, shot 26 lambs in the neck with a high-powered rifle, before loading their carcasses into a vehicle and driving them away. Another 10 sheep and lambs also shot were left behind.
Since that incident, fears have grown for public health.
The CLA says traced stolen animals have been found butchered in illegal and makeshift slaughterhouses, often an old farm building or rented industrial space.
Nicola Currie, CLA regional director, said: “It is really frightening that some people are prepared to sink to this level because of the high value of meat. The unstable economic climate has obviously encouraged criminals to look for new opportunities.”
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Saturday 26 May 2012
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Comments
There are 5 comments to this article
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lady muck
Saturday, January 21, 2012 at 08:43 AMIf you're a Top Telly Chef, you don't have to pay. Tescos will let you have four free steals before they do anything.
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Friday, January 20, 2012 at 08:06 PMIs this racist? People from certain communities cannot be expected to pay for food?
deano 1
Friday, January 20, 2012 at 04:25 PMEastern europeans eat the swans and carp being a fisherman ive seen loads of them fishing elegally with out permits or rod licenses and putting what ghey catch in bags. like willi says there in the dark ages if they dont have to pay fpr it they'll have it!
TheCount
Friday, January 20, 2012 at 04:19 PMSomething has to be done about the cost of living...wages arent going to go up so we need a healthy bout of deflation,We need cheaper fuel, food, houses etc. We need lower taxes and bigger cyts, Tthis might, of course, punish the bankers and the indebted, but hey, they should have thought before they borrowed and lent. The old phrase, neither a borrower or lender be, springs to mind.
willi eckaslyke
Friday, January 20, 2012 at 03:55 PMThis green and pleasant land aint seen nothing yet: it's filling up with people who are still in the middle ages
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