MANDEVILLE, Manchester — Police here say one of three men arrested on suspicion of being involved in praedial larceny, following a chase in Newport, has seemingly adopted the habit from his father and grandfather who have previously been arrested for the similar offence.

Inspector Simon McCormack, sub-officer for operations in Manchester, told the
Jamaica Observer that the suspect was held with a ram goat in a motor car on Tuesday.

“The police were on patrol in the Trowers Street area of Newport when a silver Toyota Axio was spotted, which drew the suspicion of the police. The car was chased and stopped. Three men alighted from that vehicle. Upon subsequent search of the vehicle one ram goat was found inside,” he said.

“What is ironic about this operation today is that one member of that set of men is known to the police and it is traditional, from the father to the grandfather, to specialise in the stealing of these animals, and today is a success for the Manchester division because we have always been suspicious of his activities,” added McCormack.

Police said the alleged third-generation goat thief is 22 years old, his father is 46, and his grandfather is in his 70s.

McCormack said the police constantly target praedial larceny, which continues to affect farmers in the south-central parish.

“We have proven that these men have always been engaged in this trade. We just want to say to the farmers to be alert with their animals, where you tie them and keep them. We have put a dent in it, because we have always been suspicious of one of these characters being involved in this type of activity,” the inspector said.

“I hope this sends a strong message to the persons out there who are involved in these types of activities to cease and desist. People work hard to get their animals and others come, untie them, and remove them,” he added.

“We want the owner of this animal to come to the Mandeville Police Station to identify it. Anyone missing a ram goat from the Newport area, please come to the station,” said McCormack.

Last November, amendments to the Agricultural Produce Act were passed in the House of Representatives, putting in place more stringent penalties to address the issue of praedial larceny.

Under the amended Bill, the maximum fine for people convicted of transporting stolen agricultural produce has moved from $250,000 to $1 million, and the maximum prison term of three months is now three years.

President of the Jamaica Agricultural Society Lenworth Fulton said the value of a ram goat ranges from $80,000 to $250,000.

“If it is one of the upgraded like the Boer and the Nubian and fully matured, you are looking anywhere up to say $250,000 based on the pedigree. If it is the regular ram goat, the local bred, you are looking at probably $80,000 to $100,000 fully matured,” he said.

“They [goat thieves] must go to jail and the thing that hurts me is, they steal your ram and sell it to a dance man [promoter] for little or nothing… It is very tough on farmers. They steal farmers’ goats every day; even people who you wouldn’t even [think] that they are involved,” added Fulton.