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STOCK is of economic and cultural value in Zimbabwe. It is a vital component of agriculture which is one of the key drivers of the country’s economy. Over the years, the country has embarked on a number of programmes aimed at rebuilding the national herd whose depletion was a colonial legacy inherited at the time of attainment of our independence.
It is a fact that we all own stock in one way or another regardless of where we live and what we do in our lives. Our efforts at scoring successes in rearing stock for various reasons have been frustrated by criminals who have made stock-theft their business. It is in this light that the Zimbabwe Republic Police has seen the need to plan and strategise its activities in order to adapt to the dynamic economic, social and political environment. We have often highlighted in the past that the ZRP’s major thrust in crime management is prevention.
Some of the areas of concern in handling issues to do with Stock Theft are discussed below.
(i) Ready Market for Stolen Stock
Stolen stock produce often finds its way into butcheries, restaurants and other food outlets. On rare occasions thieves and their accomplices steal stock with the intention of rearing it. Stock stolen for this purpose has been smuggled into the neighbouring Mozambique where detection is difficult.
(ii) Roaming Stock
Most people only keep their stock in pens during the farming season and leave them to roam for days, weeks or months without checking on their whereabouts. This renders the stock vulnerable to theft and if not stolen, it either strays to distant places or is sometimes run over by vehicles along our highways.
(iii) Identification of Stolen Stock
Police do not record missing stock as lost but rather as stolen in all cases. It has, however, emerged that in a number of cases, the stock could be astray and when located in other areas it is recorded at the nearest police station as found property where it is eventually sold by public auction if not claimed within a period of three months.
The problems encountered in this area have prompted the police to team up with other players in the business of stock to advocate cattle branding. The area and personalised branding run by the registrar’s office and veterinary department have made it easier for stolen and stray stock to be identified and returned to the owner.
(iv) Movement of Stock
Residents do not have interest in people seen driving stock or vehicles transporting stock in their neighbourhood. Members of the Neighbourhood Watch Committees, Anti Stock Theft Committees and the regular police force operating in your area must be called in to assist in the verification of activities by these people.
(v) Stock Transactions
Stock transactions whether buying or selling, exchange or transfer of ownership, have been taking place between any two parties in the absence of witnesses who can testify true ownership of the stock. This has paved way for stock theft. For this reason a stock clearance process was introduced where parties involve the police, village heads, dip attendants and other relevant witnesses to ensure nobody disposes or acquires stock that has been stolen. It should be noted that stock clearance should be done at the police station. Relevant forms (392) are issued to a police officer at the police station and the police officer must conduct the clearance at the home or kraals of stock owners.
(vi) Record Keeping
People dealing in stock or stock produce often do not keep records required in the running of affairs of this business. The stock theft act makes it mandatory for these people to keep butchery or stock registers that have sufficient information such as dates of transactions, type and description of stock involved, value for which bought or sold.
(vii) Location of cattle or Stock Pens
Mostly stock pens especially cattle pens are located a distance from owners’ houses making it easier for thieves to make away with the stock.
Effort should be made to ensure pens are situated where any disturbances will attract the attention of stock owners. Use of bells, noisy gates or keeping of dogs should be handy in drawing attention to activities taking place at the pens during the night.
Inserted by: ZRP Manicaland Province Press and Public Relations.
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