BATU GAJAH: About 30 cattle breeders in Kinta Valley near here claimed to have suffered a loss of about RM1.3mil when more than 260 of their animals went missing, believed to have been stolen over the last three years.
A breeder, K. Kaviyarasan, 38, said he lost 120 cows and 80 buffaloes during that period, with losses totalling around RM1mil.
"My family alone has made almost 10 police reports at the Batu Gajah and Kampar police stations, and we cannot fence the area because it would make it easier for thieves to steal the animals if they are all in one place.
"I am worried that if this problem is not addressed immediately, my other 1,000 cows and 500 buffaloes will suffer the same fate because the vast grazing area involves Kampar, Malim Nawar and Batu Gajah,” he told a press conference here today (May 21).
Another breeder, Pang Kee Kheong, 70, claimed thieves use three methods to commit their crime, namely by using ropes to catch tame cattle, using tranquilisers and shooting wild cattle.
He said over 50 of his cows had been stolen, adding that thieves would usually sell the animals at a low price to middlemen before being sold to consumers.
Perak Barisan Nasional service and complaints centre head Mohd Rawi Abdullah said they received many complaints regarding cattle theft cases and would send a letter to Bukit Aman for further action.
When contacted, Batu Gajah district police chief ACP Mohamad Roy Suhaimi Sarif told Bernama that four local men had been arrested in connection with the livestock theft cases.
He said all the suspects, aged between 25 and 42, were detained on Friday (May 19) and remanded for four days until tomorrow.
"Preliminary investigations revealed that those arrested are also cattle breeders.
“The stolen animals will be sold to individuals in the Perak Tengah and Kampar areas,” he said, adding that the case was being investigated under Section 379 of the Penal Code. - Bernama
