'Special Rangers' stay on the trail of rustlers
TSCRA's investigators recover $5.1 million of stolen cattle, property last year

By MONETTE TAYLOR | South Central Texas Edition

May 1, 2003 -- When the Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association (TSCRA) organized 126 years ago in Fort Worth to fight theft problems, producers' animals were worth as much to them as their herds are today.

Few producers, then, probably thought there would still be "cattle rustlers" in the the 21st century. But according to the latest statistics from TSCRA, theft of cattle, horses, and other livestock, as well as ranching equipment, is big business for thieves.

Over $5.1 million worth of cattle and other livestock, and ranching equipment, were recovered or accounted for in 2002, according to the association.

To deal with the crime, TSCRA hires 31 "highly trained" livestock theft investigators who are divided up into districts over Texas and Oklahoma. Each investigator is responsible for a number of counties and is commissioned as a "Special Ranger" by the Texas Department of Public Safety and/or the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation.

Working along side of the investigators are 80 market inspectors who are able to identify between 5 to 6 million cattle at 130 Texas livestock markets, each year. All of the findings are compiled and recorded at the TSCRA headquarters in Fort Worth.

In 1997, the Texas Legislature decided that horses should be included under this jurisdiction, and the TSCRA inspectors have been responsible, since then, for inspecting the 35,000 horses that are sent, each year, to Texas' two horse-processing plants, according to TSCRA literature.

A.L. "Butch" Davis, field inspector for District 23, which includes Harris County, said that, lately, they have witnessed more thefts of horses than cattle in Harris County. But, that might not be so unusual, since Harris County has the highest horse population in Texas, according to Davis.

While cattle are usually the major attraction to thieves within his district, Davis said they have been experiencing a number of aluminum livestock trailer thefts in Fort Bend and Brazoria counties.

He said the thieves just "peel the graphics off" a newly detailed trailer, treat it, and it looks completely different. This makes this type of theft much harder to trace.

When thieves strike a ranch, generally they are looking for something they can "turn around," or sell, quickly. Keith Korenek, field inspector for District 21, said in his seven-plus years on the job for TSCRA, he's seen cattle thefts range from one to over 100 head.

According to the annual report presented at the TSCRA convention in San Antonio earlier this spring, Executive Vice President Matt Brockman said the 31 field inspectors investigated 1,148 cases of theft, primarily involving strays or stolen livestock.

Other statistics included the recovery or accounting for of 2,872 head of cattle, 75 horses, 14 trailers, 18 saddles and "miscellaneous" ranch property which carried a total market value of $5,061,886. Each day, approximately $13,868 worth of stolen goods were accounted for by TSCRA.

The offenders had various sentences, including a total of 117 years of prison, probation, suspended and jail sentences. They paid $218,847 in restitution to the victims, and $12,250 in fines, court costs and attorney's fees, said TSCRA.

During the annual convention, Brockman urged members and producers to contact their local TSCRA field inspectors to check on theft prevention and branding information.

Theft prevention tips included displayed TSCRA member signs on gates, locked gates, branded cattle and horses, videos of horses and tack, organized proof of ownership and parking ranching equipment out of view from roadways. Obviously, the brands should be recorded with the county clerk's office for identification purposes.

Absentee ranchers seem to be one of the largest targets, and the Associated Press out of San Antonio reported that theft reports have not declined in over two decades in District 27, which includes Bexar, Blanco, Bandera, Burnet, Comal, Kendall, Kerr, Gillespie and Medina counties.

Producers are urged to remain vigilant and contact their local district investigator and/or the local law officials if they notice any unusual activities, persons or missing livestock and/or equipment.