Arkansas Agriculture Edition 29 : Page 10
Arkansas, one exception is metal theft, a problem impacting agricultural operations statewide. Thieves usually target high-priced copper in pipes and wiring, which often are components of farm equipment. Bronze, aluminum and steel also are stolen and sold for a quick buck. Victims include not only farmers but homeowners, contractors, utility companies and many others. A 2008 FBI report called for tougher laws to combat metal theft, which it referred to as “a threat to public safety and national security.” The following year, Arkansas’ legislature unanimously passed Act 390, which states, in part, “It is unlawful for a person to injure or destroy, steal, or remove any electric power line, gas line, water line, wire or fiber insulators, electric motors or other apparatus connected to farm shops, on-farm grain drying and storage complexes, heating and cooling systems and environmental control systems, animal production facilities, irrigation systems, dwellings or alterations that could result in physical injury.” The act also requires scrap-metal sellers to provide a copy of their driver’s license, a digital thumbprint, a digital photo of themselves and the scrap metal, and a statement indicating the seller has authority to sell the metal. This information is collected and made available to law enforcement in a statewide database. Act 390 also increased the penalty for sellers accepting stolen copper and other metals, making it a Class A misdemeanor punishable by up to a year in jail and a $1,000 fine. Theft of utility, telecommunication or essential farm metal became a Class D felony punishable by up to six years in prison and a $10,000 fine. Apparently, having to provide the identifying information law officers can use to catch them has, to some extent, deterred thieves from stealing metal. Officials say metal theft has abated somewhat since the act was passed. incidences of theft have risen dramatically the past two years. High beef prices are driving the increase, but “cattle rustling” appeals to thieves for other reasons as well. Many ranchers don’t brand cattle these days, so it’s often difficult for buyers to differentiate between legitimate and stolen goods. And unlike some items such as electronics, which usually fetch only 25 to 50 percent of their actual value when sold to pawn shops or on the black market, hot cattle usually net 100 percent. “You may have thought cattle rustling was a thing of the past, a common theme in old western movies,” said Tom Troxel, extension professor of animal science for the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture. “But nothing could be further from the truth.” The unemployment rate has increased in many rural areas, and, “Oftentimes, desperate people do desperate things,” he said. Timber theft, a crime many people have never even heard of, also continues to be a huge problem. The Arkansas Forestry Commission (AFC) investigated 79 cases in 2011. These usually involve contract fraud Cattle rustling, timber theft and other crimes The incidence of other forms of farm theft continues to surge. Take cattle theft, for example. Despite the fact that stealing a cow valued at $200 or more is a Class C felony punishable by a fine of up to $10,000 and a prison term from three to 10 years, Stumped Here yesterday, gone today. But who took it? Timber theft often occurs on the property of absentee landowners, causing losses in the tens of thousands of dollars and frequently going undiscovered for months or even years. 10 Arkansas Agriculture
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