Where’s the beef? Sask. man charged after allegedly stealing cattle in Sedley area

A 62-year-old man from the RM of Francis is facing criminal charges after an investigation into missing cattle.

According to the RCMP, officers got a report saying the animals were missing from an acreage near Sedley back on Sept. 4. Police determined six cattle were taken, and they were later recovered from a rural property in the area.

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After an investigation, police arrested the 62-year-old man. He’s now facing a charge of fraudulently taking cattle found astray and an additional charge of cattle theft over $5,000.

Garth Woods, operations manager for Livestock Services of Saskatchewan, said cattle are a valuable asset and theft is a serious matter for ranchers.

“With the current average value of cattle of over $3,000, any loss is significant,” Woods said in a statement.

“This recent file provides a good example of how knowledge, relationships and timely actions can serve the industry well.”

Woods said the charges resulted from a collaborative effort between police, Livestock Services of Saskatchewan and the Crown.

Cpl. Owen Third, an RCMP livestock investigator, said cattle theft is a persistent issue in the province.

“That’s why we have a livestock investigator, who provides specialized assistance to detachments on livestock-related investigations or issues and works closely with Livestock Services of Saskatchewan,” he explained.

“This investigation is an example of our ongoing partnership and continued work to thoroughly investigate instances of livestock theft in our jurisdiction.”

The alleged cattle thief is expected to appear in Weyburn Provincial Court on Nov. 20.