Most livestock thefts are going unsolved

Livestock thefts across Victoria dropped by almost 10 per cent in the 12 months to June, but police say this could be related to under-reporting and the pandemic.

Victoria Police Superintendent Lisa Winchester said livestock theft continued to be an issue across farming communities due to high stock prices.

"A small mob of sheep can bring a hefty pay check on market day, leaving victims to suffer significant financial losses," Ms Winchester told AAP.

Stolen livestock are often long-gone before a discrepancy is noticed by farmers.

"Timely reporting is absolutely key to farm crime investigations," Ms Winchester said.

"The more information we have about the offence and/or offender, the stronger the likelihood of us being able to successfully investigate the crime."

The Crime Statistics Agency estimates lifestock theft costs Victorian farmers millions of dollars each year.

Ms Winchester said the farm crime coordination unit was working to solve incidents of farm crime through engaging with the farming community and working with local police.

"Alongside their other police duties, farm crime liaison officers are regularly out and about in the community and at saleyards, monitoring livestock activity and building connections with farmers to develop intelligence to catch livestock thieves," she said.

Police are urging the farming community to be vigilant on security, including regularly counting stock, and installing cameras so that any discrepancies or incidents can be investigated without delay.

"We need to know about any suspicious activity, even something as simple as a vehicle you don't recognise, as this could prove vital in helping us track offenders and put them before a court," Ms Winchester said.

"We encourage farmers and property owners to speak to their local police about forming local safety committees to highlight any concerns they might have and to reach out to local neighbourhood watch groups."

Australian Associated Press