Some 48 complaints of livestock theft have been filed in the province of Veraguas, according to the authorities this is the lowest rate of this type of crime in central provinces and even at the national level.
Major Diego Araúz, head of the Judicial Investigation Directorate in the province, explained that this year, from January to August, 48 complaints of livestock theft have been received, affecting 95 animals.
After receiving the complaints and carrying out the investigations, the authorities have managed to recover 59 animals and also brought 6 people to court.
He stressed that of the complaints received between 20% and 25% do not correspond to livestock theft; but on many occasions the animals escape from the farm because they do not have a sufficiently protected fence, so when noticing the absence of the animal, the producers go to present the complaints, but later they are recovered.
He stated that the loss of an animal for producers is something very significant, so he recommended some preventive measures in order to minimize these crimes; He said that producers must constantly go to the farm, count their animals, make sure they are complete, periodically check the fence and prevent the animals from getting out.
It also recommended that ranchers maintain constant communication with their workers in order to verify the activities they carry out, have the telephone numbers of the owners of neighboring farms and the contact to verify if any of their animals leave the farm.
He added that another very important aspect is to integrate and participate in vigilant rancher programs. “We know that in the union is the force, the National Police, will continue with the investigative preventive diligence in order to minimize this crime and others in the provincial area and the rest of the country,” he concluded.