RCMP charge Alberta man with cattle rustling
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Diamond Valley, Alta. (Rural Roots Canada) – An 18-year-old Alberta man has been charged in connection with the theft and fraudulent sale of cattle in southern Alberta.
Alberta RCMP Livestock Investigation Unit says it received a report of cattle rustling in Diamond Valley, Alberta, back in February. Five long-horned cows had been stolen from a pasture in the Eden Valley area.
Working in conjunction with Livestock Identification Services (LIS), inspectors identified multiple suspicious cattle transactions involving one individual. Investigators determined the person had sold cattle through auction markets in Fort Macleod and Picture Butte and provided documents believed to be fake.
READ MORE: Prairie cattle industry seeing shift from theft to fraud-related losses
Further investigation found several individuals listed on the bills of sale could not be verified, and that the registered cattle owner had not authorized the sales.
As a result, the 18-year-old was charged with multiple counts, including theft of cattle over $5,000, trafficking stolen property over $5,000 and uttering forged documents.
A court appearance is scheduled later in August.
The RCMP Livestock Unit is reminding all cattle producers of the importance of branding and good record-keeping, which it says played an important role in this investigation.
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