A man has been arrested following the theft of fourteen cows from a farm on Anglesey, police have confirmed.
The cows were reported stolen by the farmer in December 2022, from his farm near Llanerch-y-Medd.
A man has since been arrested on suspicion of the cattle theft, North Wales Police's Rural Crime Team confirmed.
"A man has been arrested on suspicion of the theft of cattle from a farm in Anglesey," the force said on social media.
"Warrants executed on 12/4 in Stoke on Trent saw a man arrested in connection with the theft of the cattle and a tractor."
A man has been arrested on suspicion of the theft of cattle from a farm in Anglesey.
— NWP Rural Crime Team/Tîm Troseddau Cefn Gwlad HGC (@NWPRuralCrime) April 13, 2023
On 10/12/22, 14 cows were reported stolen near Llanerch-y-Medd.
Warrants executed on 12/4 in Stoke on Trent saw a man arrested in connection with the theft of the cattle and a tractor.
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Livestock rustling remains one of the costliest crimes affecting farmers, after machinery theft.
But the introduction of hi-tech security and marking systems, along with DNA testing, is increasingly making it more difficult for criminals to escape justice.
Rebecca Davidson, rural affairs specialist at NFU Mutual, said livestock theft was a crime which "attacks the roots of farming life and causes huge anxiety for farmers."
"It also causes suffering to stolen animals which are transported and slaughtered without concern for their welfare," she said.
“The fact that large scale thefts are still taking place demonstrates there’s no room for complacency.
"We’re concerned that higher meat prices, combined with the squeeze on consumers, could lead to a new wave of livestock theft.”
