Stock theft is on the rise in South Africa according to the latest police statistics. The 29,672 cases recorded in the 2018-19 financial year represent a 2.9% increase from the previous 12-month period, a trend that has persisted since 2016-17. Livestock theftthe country billions of rand each year, damages the local agricultural economy and negatively impacts food security.
The modus operandi of stock thieves depends on whether the theft is for survival or resale. If for survival, only a few animals are stolen or slaughtered, with the thieves taking what they can carry and leaving the carcasses behind. Criminal syndicates plan their operations carefully, usually drawing on three to five individuals. Awatches the movement of the livestock and alerts gang members who steal the animals and remove them using trucks.
Stock theft across the South African and Lesotho borders has been ongoing for years. In August, Operation Servamus, a Porous and poorly secured borders contribute to the problem. Large parts of the border fences are stolen, and monitoring long boundaries and mountainous terrain is difficult for police. This creates many opportunities and trafficking routes for criminal networks toAs stock theft has increased, so has the violence associated with it.
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