Cattle rustling is on the rise in Oklahoma

A sketchy back story, two dead calves and a discerning livestock veterinarian led investigators to a cattle-rustling plot stretching across two counties. But this crime wasn't committed 100 years ago. It's happening today. Hundreds of cattle thefts have been reported in Oklahoma since last year. Incidents have increased as the price of cattle remains high and the economy remains sluggish, investigators say. Oklahoma has traditionally been one of the top-five cattle-producing states in the country, with an industry valued about $2 billion. This makes the animals valuable not only to the ranchers, but to the state's economy, as well. Rustlers are quick to capitalize on the strong market...more