Massive cattle thefts in Brandenburg – Investigators on the trail of a professional network
In eastern Germany, entire herds of cattle have been disappearing regularly for months. Police suspect a well-organised group behind the raids.
Massive cattle thefts in Brandenburg – Investigators on the trail of a professional network
A series of cattle thefts is shaking agriculture in Brandenburg, an eastern German state. For several months, large quantities of cattle have been disappearing regularly from pastures. The most recent case occurred on the night of 12 May in the village of Grano near Schenkendöbern in Spree-Neiße district. Unknown perpetrators stole 32 animals from pastureland there. The affected farmer estimates the damage sustained at a six-figure euro amount.
According to reports from Farmer.pl and the German specialist portal Agrarheute, investigators have now made an important breakthrough. Witnesses observed a blue articulated lorry with a specially equipped animal trailer near the crime scene. Officers are currently evaluating video footage from surveillance cameras in the villages of Grano and Schenkendöbern and along federal roads 97, 112 and 115. The aim is to identify the described vehicle combination and reconstruct the perpetrators' escape route. In addition, investigators appealed to long-distance drivers who were in the region on the night in question.
The authorities suspect that a highly professional group is behind the thefts, which brings the stolen livestock across the border to a neighbouring country and resells it there. This assumption is supported by the fact that among the stolen animals were specimens of rare heritage breeds. Such animals can scarcely be disposed of within Germany and in numerous EU countries, since their registered provenance makes tracing them considerably easier.
Brandenburg's Interior Minister Michael Redmann recalled a comparable wave of thefts in the years 2015 to 2017 during a press conference in mid-May at one of the affected farms. The investigations at that time led to the uncovering and dismantling of a Polish gang. Redmann stated on record that investigators want not only to solve the current crimes, but also to deter potential copycat offenders.
According to Redmann's account, the alleged perpetrators operate with extreme professionalism. Investigators assume that the thieves use unmanned aircraft to scout their targets in advance. In this way, they gain an overview of the terrain, the stable buildings, the location of the pasture areas and the daily routines of the farmers. Evidence is also mounting that the animals are given sedatives before being seized, in order to minimise noise and enable the removal to take place unnoticed.
In addition to Brandenburg, police and veterinary authorities have stepped up checks of animal transport vehicles in all adjacent areas.
Source: Google News PL — Crime (pl)