According to the club’s vice- chairperson and director of Gladiator Distress Alert, Eugene (Pottie) Pot- gieter, they were notified of a huge stock theft case on 15 April.
At approximately 01:25, stock thieves stole 111 cattle worth R1.9 million from Mr A.J. Vermaak of the farm Rooipan in the Klerkskraal area. The thugs had removed the chains and locks from the gate of the kraal where the cattle were kept.
The farmer, some of his neighbours and the police followed the stolen animals’ tracks into a neighbouring farm, where the thieves had cut several fences to remove them. The tracks continued to Abe Bailey Nature Reserve’s fence.
The investigating officers asked J.B. Marais of UDS Drones for help, while the JSC made their aircraft available to help search for the cattle.
Thanks to the extra help from the aircraft, 66 of the stolen cattle were recovered in the nature reserve and the neighbouring farm. The rest were spotted at the slurry dams between Khutsong Extension 2 and the Wonderfonteinspruit.
All the animals were returned to their rightful owner.
Police from Potchefstroom and the K9 Dog Master also helped in the search.
