Five men have been sentenced for stealing 14 cows worth more than £20,000 from a farm on Anglesey, North Wales. The theft occurred on 10 December 2022, when the livestock was taken from a shed on the outskirts of Llanerch-y-medd.
North Wales Police used CCTV footage to identify a lorry travelling to and from the area, later seen on the A55 heading towards Wrexham. The vehicle was linked to Liam Kettleborough, 29, whose phone revealed messages with co-defendants Jack Billington, 23, Stanley Jones, 26, Michael McLeod, 57, and Clifford Smith, 65.
Enquiries showed that Kettleborough, McLeod, Jones and Billington travelled from Wrexham to Anglesey in a Toyota pickup. Kettleborough and Jones then collected a flatbed lorry with a storage container, loaded the 14 cows, and drove back to Wrexham in convoy with the pickup. The stolen cows were taken to a farm in Stoke-on-Trent owned by Smith.
Two of the cows had given birth after being stolen; the calves were also recovered. Police believe the cattle were specifically selected to fraudulently replace some of Smith's fallen stock. All defendants were sentenced at Caernarfon Crown Court on 20 March.
Investigating officer PC Michelle Allsup said: 'Thefts of this nature are thankfully rare, but they have a significant financial and emotional impact on businesses and families, often leaving rural communities feeling vulnerable and intimidated.' She added that the victim was compensated by insurance but the crime delayed breeding plans and affected expected income.
