Goat thief held in St Thomas

A woman, who is of a Waterford, St Catherine address, was arrested in St Thomas on Saturday on suspicion of goat stealing.

According to the Corporate Communications Unit, about 4 p.m., a police team was on operations inin White Horses, St Thomas, when a red Toyota Wish motor car was signalled to stop. After complying with the instruction, four occupants alighted from the vehicle and fled. However, the woman was held.

Upon further investigations, the police team found three goats inside the vehicle. It was one of numerous instances of praedial larceny in the last few months.

In late August, 26 goats were stolen from multiple individuals in Green Acres, Manchester, and two men were arrested. On September 15, eight goats were stolen in St Thomas and were rescued by officers from Yallahs Police Station.

Compensation for farmers

And just last Friday, detectives arrested two suspected cattle thieves in Claremont, St Ann.

Sergeant Bruce Williams, National Praedial Larceny Prevention Officer in the Praedial Larceny Prevention Coordination Unit, told THE STAR that the unit has been trying to get compensation for farmers who have been victims of praedial larceny.

"We are trying to engage with the justice department to utilise the restitution clause so farmers can get some monetary reward, having lost their investment. Some of the farmers are frustrated that they would've made reports and persons should have been arrested, but they would've lost their investment and there's nothing for them to get back," he said.

Meanwhile, the unit has been imploring farmers to engage with the local police.

"We have an active team that has been doing some operations. We have had a few successes, but we need the partnership of the farmers to make the reports."