Rustlers are being warned they face "buckshot in their backsides" if they are caught stealing sheep or cattle.
Fifteen sheep have been stolen from a Landcorp Farm at Titoki, 29km west of Whangarei, prompting the warning from a Northland farming spokesman that rustlers run the risk of being shot at.
A Landcorp spokesman was not available to comment on the theft, but Bill Guest, spokesman for Northland Federated Farmers, said farmers got "pretty hot under the collar" when stock was rustled, more so than when farm equipment was taken.
"Some of these perpetrators might end up with a bit of buckshot in their backsides if they're not careful," he said. The recent acquittal of Far North farmer Paul McIntyre, who shot at thieves he caught stealing his quad bike, had showed that farmers felt justified in protecting their property with force.
"In the old days if you got caught stealing stock you got hung," Mr Guest said.
"We haven't got hanging in New Zealand now but at the end of the day a farmer who's confronted by thieves pinching his stock - the thief is taking a risk of a farmer discharging a firearm and then we've got all sorts of problems."
Whangarei police Sergeant Graham Povey said burglars had lifted a gate off its hinges and taken the 15 sheep from Landcorp's farm at the weekend.
He said there was no sign of the sheep having been slaughtered at the site.
"It's of concern because farmers start to get a little bit twitchy when things like this start happening," Mr Povey said.
Mr Guest said he knew of one farmer who had lost hundreds of sheep to rustlers over the years.
"The reality is it's always going to rear its ugly head from time to time. Fifteen is a lot in one go. Fifteen could easily fit in freezers and would probably keep four to five families going for a while."
- NZPA
