Agriculture
10 August, 2025
DON’T FLEECE US
By CHRIS EARL FARMERS across the region are on heightened alert to suspicious vehicles and trailers after a spate of suspected sheep thefts. Two vehicles stopped at a Kurting farm on Saturday where owners confronted men who emerged from behind trees...
By CHRIS EARL
FARMERS across the region are on heightened alert to suspicious vehicles and trailers after a spate of suspected sheep thefts.
Two vehicles stopped at a Kurting farm on Saturday where owners confronted men who emerged from behind trees asking if they had any sheep for sale.
Rachel Taylor and Dave Wilkinson said one vehicle blocked their driveway, preventing family from driving in for a planned barbecue.
“They were of Middle Eastern appearance ... it was quite confronting,” they said.
Family photographed and videoed the vehicles leaving the property before reporting the incident to police.
Farmers at Powlett reported more than 30 head of sheep stolen overnight Monday.
And there have been reports of the same vehicle in near farms in the Calivil and Kamarooka areas this week.
BlazeAid founder Kevin Butler, who has been charting suspected stock thefts in country Victoria for several years, said there had been a spike in alleged incidents in the Wedderburn-Inglewood area over the last three months.
His claims have been backed up by Rachel and Dave.
“We’ve been speaking with a few neighbours between here and Powlett who say they have been losing 20 or 30 head at a time,” they said.
“One has now reduced the number of sheep in each paddock to more quickly see if any sheep have disappeared.”
According to Mr Butler: “There have been 15 to 20 reports and only one has been unable to be validated.”
“The weekend’s report of vehicles going from farm to farm is the latest. How many farmers have ever sold to spontaneous buyers?
“You wouldn’t find one anywhere,” he said. “It’s clearly a staking exercise and it appears to be well organised.”
Mr Butler said an early step to stamp out the practice would be for the Government to ban farmgate sales of livestock on bio-
security grounds. But while he said the spike in stock thefts might be spurred by current high market prices, they would continue “if meat was even only half the price”.
Rachael told the Loddon Herald her suspicions were raised when one of their uninvited Saturday afternoon visitors “stepped from behind a tree and pulled his hoodie over his head” asking to buy sheep.
“It was a very quick interaction ... three of them ... but it was very odd,” she said. “And it was odd they only parked at the gate and another vehicle and trailer were parked on the highway verge.
“Our dogs had been barking like crazy ... that’s why we went to around to the front of the house and confronted them.”
Rachael and Dave reported the incident to police and shared footage of the vehicles to the online crime report platform.
The spate of Loddon incidents follows the reported theft of 80 Merinos worth $12,000 from Strathlea, west of Castlemaine, in May,
Police said men had allegedly been seen herding the sheep into a light blue, enclosed trailer attached to a white van and released images of the suspects.
Wedderburn district farmers last week raised concerns when what they said was a “suspect” vehicle had become bogged in a paddock.
Mr Butler said Victoria Police farm crime liaison officers were under-resourced and documenting suspicious vehicles in rural areas was another key to tackling stock theft.
“If you see anything, take a photograph or video on your phone and report it to police,” Mr Butler said.
Victorian Farmers’ Federation met with Victoria Police farm co-ordination unit chiefs earlier this year.
The VFF said increasing security, signage, CCTV, traceability and always reporting suspicious activities and incidents to police was vital.
“We reiterated our priorities for police to continue to work to prevent and prosecute farm trespassers and reduce livestock and firearms theft,” said president Brett Hosking after the meeting.