LIVESTOCK thefts have surged across Catalunya as entire flocks of sheep disappear from farms ahead of the Eid al-Adha holiday, leaving many farmers with no way to earn a living.
Criminals are breaking into rural enclosures at night across the Camp de Tarragona area, near Barcelona. The thieves are reportedly loading sheep into vans and disappearing before police can reach the scene.
Farmers told El Caso the raids are becoming more organised and more frequent, with some losing dozens of animals in a single night.
For small farmers, the loss destroys years of work and leaves them without a livelihood.
The constant fear has forced some farmers into sleeping near their flocks and spending nights guarding fields instead of resting.
The rise in thefts comes just days before Eid al-Adha, the Muslim ‘festival of the lamb’, which begins on May 27. The holiday traditionally involves the sacrifice of a sheep by many families.
Livestock owners believe higher demand for lambs during this period is encouraging thieves to target farms.
Some thieves are even forming their own flocks with the stolen animals to make money by selling them.
One farmer in Vallclara woke up to discover his entire flock of 23 lambs had vanished overnight. The thieves allegedly cut through fencing and drove onto the property with a van.
Another farmer from Juneda lost 15 sheep, worth about €2,300, in a carefully planned raid in April. The thieves cut several holes in the fencing before forcing the lambs into a vehicle.
Others have managed to avoid disaster only by staying awake through the night to watch over their flocks. A farmer from Vimbodi i Poblet scared off suspected thieves earlier this month after spotting suspicious activity near his land.
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Despite regular patrols by the Mossos d’Esquadra, farmers say the problem is difficult to control because many rural farms are isolated and spread over large areas.
But many livestock owners insist the bigger issue is the law itself. They claim that even when thieves are caught, punishments are too weak and suspects are quickly released.
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This is truly terrible, those poor farmers! The Muslim holiday is SUPPOSED to be a religious holiday, yet they see fit to steal lambs! The usual penalty for Muslims who steal, is to have their hand chopped off. It acts as a wonderful deterrent, perhaps the Spanish police should take note!