By MONETTE TAYLOR | South Central Texas Edition

March 9, 2006 - They may not arrive on horseback carrying rifles and ropes, with a bandanas covering their lower faces, but cattle rustlers are still keeping lawmen busy trying to track them, and the cattle they take.

On Feb. 16, Pete Vacek went to one of his pastures in Longpoint to feed his cattle, just like any other day. The only problem was that his bull, 14 cows and 11 calves were no where to be seen. According one of the neighbors in the area, Vacek’s animals were seen in the pasture on Wednesday morning, Feb. 15. But on Feb. 16, after looking closely at the lock on the gate, it was evident that the original lock had been cut and a “dummy” lock used to replace it.

As of press time, an official with the Fort Bend Sheriff’s office (who declined to give his name) said that as far as he knew, “… there is no news concerning the theft.” 

Bob Haenel, editor of the Fort Bend Herald, said there cattle were pastured in an area of the county (Brumbelow Road, off FM 1994) “where there is not a house for about a mile and a half, but is populated enough to observe unusual activity.

“It’s … obviously … someone with expertise in what they’re doing,” explained Haenel.

Vacek is not the only cattleman who’s had his cattle rustled in the area, during the last few months. According to the Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association (TSCRA), cattle owners in Pearland, Houston, League City, Manvel, Rosharon. and unincorporated parts of Harris County have lost cattle.

Special Texas Ranger Tommy Johnson believes that it is “…the same people that did every one of them.” Johnson investigates cattle theft for TSCRA. It is thought that this group of thieves is using grain to lure the cattle into pens for loading them in trucks.

Before cell phones and the latest technology, cattle rustlers had a tougher time getting in and out of the area quickly. Now, the rustlers can get the cattle penned and then call an accomplice to quickly bring the truck and trailer to the site.

Haenel suggested that the thieves may be utilizing legitimate sources that pay cattle, such as unsuspecting sale barns, slaughterhouses, or even individual ranchers, noted Johnson. In many cases the cattle are taken across state lines for sale.

With cattle prices at the highest they’ve been in years, Vacek estimated the total value of his livestock to be around $22,800. If the cows and bull are located, they won’t be hard to identify; they are branded with a “turkey foot” symbol, the rancher said.

According to TSCRA records, there were 1,214 cattle theft cases in Texas in 2004, and 1,111 in 2005. Although there were fewer thefts in 2005, the values differ. In 2004, 2,447 animals with a value of $1.9 million were reported recovered, with 5,199 animals recovered in 2005 at a value of $3.6 million.