Livestock rustling driving up UK meat prices

Gangs of rustlers across Britain have stolen sheep, cattle and pigs. In March alone, 500 pigs were stolen from a farm in Staffordshire. It is feared that rustling has become more widespread as criminals turn away from scrap metal theft as commodity prices fall.

With pork prices rising, the animals could be stolen to order for another farm, which would "rear them up" before trying to sell them without paperwork, according to Rob Mercer who runs Packington Pork at Staffordshire.

Mercer indicated that the rustlers got to have people who know how to handle livestock and knew where to go, otherwise they would not have stolen 500 pigs in the dark.

Many farmers did not insure against theft, said Tim Price, spokesman for rural insurance company NFU Mutual.

Rustling is now estimated to cost the industry GBP3.5 million (US$5.2 million) per year.