Local gang behind cattle rustling claims farmer

Damian McCarney

 
A Ballybay farmer who last week joined the ranks of farmers falling victim to cattle rustlers suspects that the perpetrators are from the area. 

Eight bull cattle worth up to €12,000 were stolen from a shed on Baird’s Shore outside Ballybay in the early hours of Saturday morning.
The cattle - two charolais, a black, a Belgium Blue, two Simmental/Charolais cross, Charolais/Limousin cross, and a Friesian - belonged to James Moffett and his son Lee. The beef cattle were almost ready for the factory, and James estimates their value at between €11-12,000.

In recent years the general Ballybay area has become a black spot for rustling. Off the top of his head James could list off six previous thefts of livestock from relatives living nearby in recent years.

Local knowledge

James dismisses the popularly held belief that northern gangs are responsible, and is adamant that rustlers possess local knowledge. He had only moved the cattle into the location “off a by-road” at Endaneane on Wednesday and they were stolen two days later.

“It’s a load of bunkum about green-eyed monsters from Crossmaglen. No man in Crossmaglen has interest in my cattle. Not a mission.”
He said that “people don’t want to admit” that it’s local people behind them. When the Celt observes, that general area seems to be a black spot, he James replies: 

'That's because it's the one gang that's at it and is getting away with it.' 

Having previously thought the Department was on top of the rustling, he is “sick to see” rustlers strike again. He’s especially frustrated for his son, a young farmer who worked so hard milking cattle and clipping sheep to buy his livestock, and who intends to enter Ballyhaise to attain his Green Cert.
James believes that there should be grants to promote farm security, and greater surveillance of suspected rustlers.

'There's grants for TAMS, there's grants for everything - but there's not grants for security cameras,' said James. 

Trailer

Raiders followed up that theft with another on Monday night when approximately €6,500 worth of livestock were also stolen.
Four bulls and one brown suckling cow were stolen from the Corduff area of County Monaghan. The cattle (Belgium blue cross, one Friesian, and two brown Simmental) were house in a slatted shed at Lisacullion and are believed to have been taken between 10pm last night and 8am on Tuesday morning. There were more cattle in the shed but they were overlooked.
In addition they made off with the farmer’s 12ft by 6ft silver Ivor Williams trailer, registration number 99CN1514.
Gardaí are currently appealing to farmers to secure their sheds and increase security. Witnesses to either thefts should contact gardaí on 042-9741 002.

See today's Anglo-Celt newspaper to read about Superintendent Fergus Treanor's report to the Joint Policing Committee last Friday.