WIMMERA leaders are pushing for more dedicated police resources to tackle livestock thefts in the region.
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Member for Lowan Emma Kealy and Victorian Nationals leader Peter Walsh met with farmers and stock agents at Horsham Regional Livestock Exchange last week.
Mr Walsh said livestock theft was a significant issue in the region.
"There needs to be a dedicated farm theft squad within Victoria Police," he said.
Mr Walsh said police needed a more specialised skill set to deal with farm theft.
"It is an issue that require perseverance and knowledge about how the industry works, in order to catch the offenders," he said.
"When that role is added to traditional police roles, it becomes an issue because they don't have the time and resources to pursue these cases.
"We need dedicated officers to catch the people who are stealing lambs, sheep and cattle."
Mr Walsh said an increase in lamb prices had made livestock theft more appealing to criminals.
"With lambs making upwards of $300, it is quite a lucrative market," he said.
Crime Statistics Agency data shows that $2.07 million worth of livestock was stolen from Victoria farms in the 2017-18 financial year.
Last month 350 sheep were stolen from Telopea Downs.
Horsham Agricultural Liaison Officer Senior Sergeant Simon Grant said theft from farms was an increasing issue across the whole state.
"The reasons it is increasing is because commodity prices are pretty high," he said.
"Livestock, wool, and grain are all things that can be stolen and with high prices, they are more attractive to people.
"Lambs are at record high prices at the moment."
Senior Sergeant Grant said farm thefts were difficult to police because they were often under reported.
"There are a few reasons behind that - farmers might not be confident with the numbers they have on hand, or they might not keep good records," he said.
"Farmers might also think that police can't investigate it or don't have the resources to investigate it.
"The message is though, we need to know about any incidents of farm theft and rural crime. that way we can build an intelligence picture.
"If we don't know about it, we can't do anything about it."