With a click of the mouse, more rural crimes are being reported than ever before.
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NSW Police are using social media to catch crooks who commit rural crimes across the state including livestock thefts.
The Rural Crime Prevention team, who has its own facebook page 'Rural Crime - NSW Police Force' with 28,500 followers (up from 13,000 in January 2018), is being used as an additional tool for reporting crime.
State Rural Crime Coordinator Detective Inspector Cameron Whiteside said there had been an increased reporting of rural crime due to raised awareness through social media as well as the 26 police workshops held around the state.
"There are no more livestock thefts than normal but there has been an increase in reporting of theft," Detective Inspector Whiteside said.
Detective Inspector Whiteside said there were recent successful arrests due to social media, which had increased community confidence.
"It (social media) gets the massage out quick..we will continue to use social media and look at its capabilities," he said.
"It's also used to target harden properties letting landholders know what's happening in their area."
It comes as the State Government announced an additional 18 rural crimes investigators over the next three years. The squad started with 34 officers and grew to 46 in December 2017.
Latest livestock thefts
Parkes police are investigating the theft of 16 ewes and 3 lambs stolen from a Cooka Hills Road property at Cookamidgera.
The sheep were stolen sometimes between February 14 and 16 and have blue ear tags bearing the PIC NF243054.
Police are also investigating two people trespassing on the same property on February 19 at the time a drone was flying around the northern side of the farm.
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According to police it is not known if the people associated with flying the drone relate to the missing sheep.
In the New England, the Rural Crime Prevention Team at Inverell are investigating the disappearance of 36, 2017 drop merino wethers from a property at Gum Flat.
The missing sheep were part of a mob of 650 and the loss has taken place sometime since September 2018.
The missing sheep are described as 2017 drop merino wethers, which had approximately six months wool when taken.
Meanwhile at Baradine there were 20 sheep attacked and killed by pig dogs.
At 9.30am February 17, the property owner became aware that dogs had attacked numerous sheep on his Baradine property on Gulargambone Road.
Two dogs were seen at the time, one being a large black pigging dog with a white face while the second dog was a red kelpie/cattle dog cross, both wearing a red collar.
NSW Police said the loss was valued at between $3000 to $4000.
Police are urging anyone with information in relation to these incidents to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
Journalist based on the Mid North Coast for The Land.
Journalist based on the Mid North Coast for The Land.
