212 cattle vanish from outback NSW station
More than 200 head of cattle have gone missing from a property west of Broken Hill between March and August.
The 212 cattle went missing from a station on West Wilcannia Road. The disappearance was not reported until September 6.
Police think they may have strayed or been stolen. Work to find them is in early stages.
The missing animals include 155 black Angus cows, eight black Angus bulls, 48 Shorthorn cows and one Shorthorn bull. They are worth $500,000 to $1 million.
The cattle carry branded marks and ear notches that identify them. Detective Chief Inspector Cameron Whiteside of the Rural Crime Prevention Team said local properties are spread far apart.
Stock is checked only infrequently, which delays finding losses. He said moving so many cattle without notice would be difficult.
But police are keeping an open mind.
- 212
- Cattle missing
- $500,000 to $1 million
- Value
- March to August
- Time frame
- West Wilcannia Road, Wilcannia
- Location
Why it mattersThe loss is a major financial and emotional blow to the owners. Large livestock thefts are uncommon and hard to investigate.
AustraliaMissing livestock cases highlight security gaps on remote Australian stations and the difficulty police face tracking rural crime across vast distances.
