The Rural Voice, 2001-06, Page 23insurance companies.
"A few people are ruining it for all
the rest,' McGavin said.
Insurance premiums for McGavin's
have gone up due to the thefts. The
property stolen has never been
recovered.
In 1999 the Ontario Provincial
Police Association met to discuss
rural and agriculturally related
crimes.
Crimes in isolated rural areas make
people more vulnerable, the police
decided. In rural areas'there are
fewer witnesses to crimes and it
usually takes longer for the crime to
be reported. The results of theft or
damage to equipment, livestock or
seed can delay harvest and are often
expensive with the extra costs for
replacement.
The Southern Ontario RACT
teams followed the creation of
similar teams in Western and Central
Ontario. Groups like the Cattlemen's
Association were contacted to give
advice while RACT was formed.
Hedley said the police and' the
Cattlemen's Association have a good
working relationship. Many cops do
not understand how the cattle
industry works, Hedley said. The
Cattlemen's Association is often
contacted to help an officer with an
investigation.
The RACT program goals are to
prevent crime and retrieve stolen
property. This will be achieved by
more public awareness, more police
enforcement and having a group that
police and citizens can turn to for
help, Angel said.
Criminals are usually caught when
they slip up Angel said. If there is
suspicious behavior, then people
should call the police Angel warned.
Meanwhile Baes has no
expectations of ever seeing the four
calves again. The faint truck tire
tracks in his lane that April morning
were the last trace of them. The
culprit is probably out of the area
now, possibly in the States, Baes
imagines. Those calves were worth
about $4,000 in total, he estimates,
and had the potential to make much
more money.
Hopefully the Rural and
Agricultural Crime Team will
prevent other thefts and criminal
activity. But they probably won't
bring Baes' calves back.0
GB
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JUNE 2001 19