Reward climbs to $11,000 in missing cattle case
262 head were stolen from Lipscomb County ranch
Perryton, Texas — Information about the theft of 262 head of cattle off a Lipscomb County ranch just got a lot more valuable.
Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association Special Ranger Ben Eggleston said rancher Bob Adcock has added $10,000 of his own money to the $1,000 reward offered by Operation Cow Thief. The reward will be paid to an individual who provides information leading to the arrest or indictment of the person or persons responsible for the crime. Eggleston said all information is kept confidential, and tips may be provided anonymously by calling 888-830-2333.
On Feb. 18, Adcock reported the steers and heifers missing from the Bill Merydith Ranch located at 14135 County Road U in Perryton. He said most of the cattle were black, but some were red and other mixed colors. They weighed between 500 and 550 pounds each. All are branded with a Lazy 11 on their left shoulder.
“Any theft, but especially one of this magnitude, can just be devastating to a rancher,” Eggleston said. “If you know something about this crime, please come forward so we can help him recover those animals.”
###
Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association’s special rangers are an elite group of law enforcement officers who have extensive knowledge of the cattle industry. While they primarily investigate cattle theft and other agricultural crimes, they are well-trained in all facets of law enforcement. In all, the association has 30 special rangers stationed throughout Texas and Oklahoma who are commissioned through the Texas Department of Public Safety or Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation.
The special rangers also oversee more than 80 market inspectors who collect data, such as brands and other identifying marks on about 5 million cattle sold at 100 Texas livestock markets each year. That information is entered into the association’s recording and retrieval system, which is a vital tool for law enforcement when investigating theft cases.
For more news releases and information, visit tscra.org.