
Sheriff Raymond Cobos said his administration was meeting with officials from the Border Patrol, state Livestock Board, State Police and Deming Police to coordinate agencies as a means to help Luna County farmers and ranchers.
Investigator Alan Batts said local agriculturists constantly battle the loss of cattle and hay… and he said a more aggressive approach to inspecting stock trailers could help stop the thefts.
Cobos said livestock thefts are not routinely reported to the Sheriff’s Office, but instead get reported to the Livestock Board.
By working with Border Patrol agents who are routinely combing the rural parts of the region, and with Livestock Inspector Janice Blandford and others, he hopes to get the message out to modern-day rustlers that Luna County is off-limits to cattle and hay
thieves.
Cobos added that some people may be initially irritated by being stopped simply because they are hauling a stock trailer, but he is confident they will appreciate the effort to deter cattle theft.
The launch of the effort is being timed to coincide with fall cattle works when ranchers tally their livestock numbers and report thefts.