Chapter Outline

A. Estimates of the economic impact of rural and agricultural crime are as high as $5 billion annually.

B. There is also evidence that urban-based criminals and criminal groups are involved as both planners and perpetrators of crimes in rural areas and on farms.

C. Another direct connection between rural crime and city dwellers results from the changing composition of labor used by farmers.

A. Ranchers, farmers, and others living in rural places are often the victims of thefts.

B. Nationally, rustlers steal about 20,000 cattle worth $12.1 million.

C. Our national parklands are also victimized by plant poachers.

D. It must be observed that person who live in rural areas and on farms, groves, vineyards, and ranches not only are crime victims but are themselves occasional offenders.

A. The U.S. Forest Service concedes that it doesn’t know how much timer is stolen from national forests but say that the value may be as much as $100 million worth annually and the theft may amount to about 1 in every 10 trees cut down.

B. Private and public lands are being invaded by stealthy fossil hunters, who are also describes as bone rustlers. The loot the land of fossils; a complete dinosaur skeleton may command as much as a $500,000 price.

C. Investigations into the illegal cutting of timber involve a full range of investigative techniques.

A. Although the theft of agrichemicals is a multimillion-dollar-per-year problem nationally, the exact type of agrichemical taken varies by geographic region, depending on what the predominant crop is.

B. Distributors in particular have been vulnerable to the hijacking of trucks carrying agrichemicals, with resulting losses of $200,000 or more per incident.

C. To be effective in the investigation of agrichemical thefts, the investigator must become familiar with the legal supply channels and the principal agrichemicals that are used in his or her region.

D. Finally, because of their precarious economic situation, some farmers will engage in the theft of agrichemicals or will readily purchase such commodities at "bargain prices."

A. Cattle Rustling

The majority of thefts are committed by one or two people who take the animal for their own use.

B. Horse Rustling

More than 50,000 horses are stolen each year as compared to about 20,000 cattle. About 60 percent of the stolen horses end up in slaughter plants, where they are processed and sold as meat for human consumption in Europe and Japan.

C. Tack Theft

Simply stated, tack is equipment that is used with horses; the most common items are saddles, bridles, and horse blankets.

A. Hot-Iron Branding

Hot-iron branding is a method of identification that has been used in this country for nearly 400 years.

B. Ear Tags and Injectable Identification

In early applications, ear tags were metal or plastic, but in a number of cases they were simply lost while in use. Bar-code ear tags for cattle were an advancement for herd management because of the additional data that could be recorded. More recently, the National Farm Animal Identification and Records (FAIR) program developed electronic ear tags, which provide even greater information about each animal and better animal tracking.

C. Freeze Branding

Special freeze-branding irons are chilled using dry ice or liquid nitrogen and then applied to the hide.

D. Earmarks

Earmarks are often used in conjunction with branding because in some states earmarks alone are not legally sufficient to establish identification.

F. DNA Profiles

DNA profiles of expensive horses and bulls are common as a theft deterrent, required by some breed associations, and mandated by some insurance companies to prevent insurance scams.

A. The process of a crime scene where an agriculture-related theft has occurred is in many respects no different from the processing of any other crime scene.

B. The types of evidence discussed in Chapter 3, Physical Evidence, can often be readily found and will be of great value to law enforcement officers in the investigation of agricultural crimes.

A. Information about how to prevent rural and agricultural crimes can be obtained from a variety of sources, including sheriff’s departments, county police, state investigative agencies, state departments of agriculture, county extension agents, and various associations.

B. Although some techniques developed in urban areas can be readily applied to the farm, others would create costs disproportionate to the benefits that could reasonably be expected to accrue to the rancher or farmer.

A. Major Threats to Wildlife

As urban areas continue their sprawl outward from the core city, more construction occurs, destroying habitats. The accidental release of chemicals, illegal dumping, land erosion, and oil spills produce the same effect. The illegal taking or possession of game, fish, and other wildlife-poaching is the major threat.

B. Poachers and Poaching

Poachers can be categorized into two types: situational poachers and professional poachers.

C. Investigations

Wildlife officers generally spend only about 20 percent of their time in law enforcement activities.

A. The Legal and Enforcement Framework

There are roughly 18 major federal environmental laws that form the basis for Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) programs. From this maze of laws three patterns of enforcement emerge.

B. Provisions of State RCRA Laws

Many states have enacted laws that are very similar to the federal RCRA. Among the common provisions of these laws are:

C. Investigative Methods

Patrolling officers should be alert for signs that indicate the possibility or presence of illegal dumping of hazardous waste.