MERCER COUNTY — More than 60 calves were stolen from a farm near Coldwater in the middle of the night.
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The theft of 64 Holstein steer calves is an estimated loss of over $100,000.
The stolen livestock consisted of 13-week-old Holstein steer calves, each valued at $2,000.
“We’re talking well over a 100,000 dollar investment that has gone in a matter of minutes,” Mercer County Sheriff Doug Timmerman said.
Timmerman, who met with the cattle growers and owners, described how the theft was discovered.
“Noticed that there were cattle loose in his barn, noticed that there were several of them missing, and then a lot of his gates were moved,” he said.
Someone loaded the 64 Holstein steer calves from a large barn, leaving behind younger calves.
This detail leads investigators to believe the thieves have specific knowledge of the industry.
“Two different stages of cattle in that barn, again, which leads you to believe that somebody directly involved in this industry is involved somehow,” Timmerman stated.
Authorities also speculated on the motives of the perpetrators.
“I don’t know if this is somebody down on their luck trying to get ahead of the game or whether, at the end of the day, it doesn’t matter, you’re a thief,” Timmerman said.
The search for the stolen cattle has extended across the region and into Indiana.
The cattle growers and owners declined to speak on the record.
Farmers in Mercer County and the northern Miami Valley are now considering investing in additional security measures and cameras to protect their herds.
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