Three men have been charged over the alleged theft of more than $100,000 worth of cattle following a joint investigation by specialist rural-crime detectives in NSW and Queensland.
Police will allege the 72 head of cattle were stolen from a property in Cunnamulla, Queensland, on Wednesday 18 November 2015.
It will be further alleged the cattle were transported to a property in the Harden area of NSW, where they were subsequently sold.
The matter has been under investigation by the NSW Police Rural Crime Unit and Queensland Stock and Rural Crime Investigation Squad.
As a result of these inquiries, Rural Crime Investigators from Cootamundra Local Area Command and surrounding areas executed a search warrant at a Harden property on Wednesday 16 December 2015.
After conducting a muster of the property, 72 head of cattle – valued at $115,200 – were seized as exhibits.
It will be alleged these were the cattle stolen from the Queensland property. The animals have since been returned to their owner.
After further investigations, a 41-year-old Harden man, a 62-year-old Jugiong man and a 37-year-old former Harden man have been charged with offences relating to disposal and receiving of stolen cattle; dealing with the proceeds of crime; and a range of offences under the Stock Diseases Act and Local Land Services Act.
The men have been issued with Court Attendance Notices to appear in Cootamundra Local Court on Monday 2 May 2016.
The investigation is continuing.
Police are urging anyone with information in relation to this incident to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or use the Crime Stoppers online reporting page: https://nsw.crimestoppers.com.au/ Information you provide will be treated in the strictest of confidence. We remind people they should not report crime information via our Facebook and Twitter pages.
