POLICE are looking for information after an outrageous act of animal cruelty and livestock theft.
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Thieves in Edenhope have not only stolen 39 lambs from farmer, they corralled and locked 28 ewes in a shearing shed without food or water.
Farm Crime Liaison Officer Sergeant Simon Grant said there was simply no need for such an act.
"There's no excuse for any incident of animal cruelty- and it should spark outrage and not be tolerated in the farming community," he said.
This comes after crime stats revealed a two per cent jump in livestock theft across Victoria in the previous 12 months.
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Police believed offenders mustered 28 ewes and up to 40 lambs in to a shearing shed some time between Sunday, October 3 and Saturday, October 9 before the lambs were drafted off and loaded on to a vehicle or trailer.
The ewes were left in the shearing shed without food or water and 21 died as a result.
The farmer found the carnage on Saturday ,October 9, only seven ewes made it through the ordeal alive. The ewes could have been stuck in the shed for up to a week.
The cost of the stolen and deceased livestock alone totals around $13,500.
Acting Superintendent Karl Curran said the Western Division is aware of concerns regarding livestock theft.
"We have an initiative with Ararat Rural City Council to address some community concerns and that extends into our farming communities to prevent stock theft
"We've also done an Operation Stock Check to address some concerns in the livestock industry in relation to the theft and selling off livestock."
Anyone with information on this incident should contact Crimestoppers on 1800 333 000.
President of the Victorian Farmers Federation Emma Germano said that rural crime can have a significant and harmful impact on hard-working communities.
"It not only hurts the victim's hip-pocket, but reduces how much they can spend locally, from cafes to hardware stores," Ms Germano said.
Victoria Police have launched a statewide operation to counter livestock theft, called Putting a Spotlight on Farm Crime.
This operation will aim to increase farm crime reported in Victoria, whether it's stolen livestock, harvested animals, firearms, equipment, tools, or chemicals.
Since the post was put on the EyeWatch Facebook page, community members have voiced their concerns and horror at the Edenhope theft.
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