Oklahoma cattle thefts drop 13 percent compared with 2011, officials say

Investigators working in the field say such crimes can be difficult to prosecute because of the crime scenes, which are often remote and devoid of any human witnesses.

A rolling list of stolen agriculture assets, dating to early 2010, is available on the department's website.

Farmers and ranchers have reported 261 head of cattle as being stolen, along with a single horse, during the first six months of 2012.

Last year, 301 head of cattle and two horses were reportedly stolen from rural counties in Oklahoma through the end of June. By the end of the year, that number would reach 381.

Records show that cattle thefts can happen at any time of year and can range from a single cow to dozens at a time.

The incidents are reported all over the state — from the southeast corner to the Panhandle.

In June, a group of 75 mixed steers was reported missing in Johnston County. Roughly four months earlier, 78 black steers were stolen in Woods County.

Last year, cattle thieves took groups of 37, 52 and 75 in their clandestine raids, records show.

Trends hard to spot

Special Agent Donnie Crain, an agriculture department investigator, said cattle thefts are generally random in nature.

Crain's area of responsibility encompasses northwestern Oklahoma, where remoteness is in plentiful supply.