Agriculture theft in Israel drops 25 percent in 2013

In comparison to 2012, 2013 showed a 14.5% drop in the number of cattle- and sheep-stealing incidents, the police said.

By SHARON UDASIN
Israeli agriculture (photo credit: Wikicommons)
Israeli agriculture
(photo credit: Wikicommons)
Israel experienced a roughly 25-percent drop in agriculture-related crimes in the year 2013, Israel Police reported on Sunday.
In comparison to 2012, 2013 showed a 14.5% drop in the number of cattle- and sheep-stealing incidents, the police said. Moreover, in these incidents, only 3,355 sheep and cattle were stolen as opposed to the 4,890 stolen in 2012 – a drop of 31.3%, according to the police.
As far as farming tools – such as tractors and forklifts – are concerned, the 430 equipment thefts in 2012 fell to 305 such incidents in 2013 – a decrease of 29%, police said.
“Reducing the scope of agricultural crime is one of the goals we established for ourselves at the beginning of the year,” Border Patrol Commander Amos Yaakov said. “We will continue to act decisively in 2014 as well.”
Working with the Border Patrol and the police force in general have been large numbers of volunteers, as well as workers from the Israel Electric Corporation, the Israel Nature and Parks Authority, Keren Kayemeth LeIsrael-Jewish National Fund and other organizations, the police said.