Million-dollar cattle rustling in northern Córdoba: three arrested and 48 steers recovered

A large-scale cattle theft surprised the rural community of northern Córdoba on Thursday, July 31. In the early hours of the morning, a group of criminals forced open a gate and took 48 Aberdeen Angus steers. The incident took place on a farm located in the La Encrucijada area, within the Río Seco department, Córdoba.

The stolen animals each weigh an average of 220 kilograms (485 pounds) and are valued at about 880,000 pesos. In total, the economic loss exceeds 42 million, making this one of the most significant rural thefts of the year. The affected producer filed the report just hours after the incident.

From that point, the Río Seco Departmental Police and the Northern Rural Patrol began investigations, following instructions from the Dean Funes Prosecutor's Office. The efforts made it possible to establish solid leads within a few days. The investigation extended to different areas in the northeast and east of the province.

Raids, arrests, and key items seized

On Monday, several simultaneous raids were carried out in La Para, Sebastián Elcano, and the rural area of Villa Fontana. These operations made it possible to recover all the heads of cattle, which were returned to their original owner. In addition, three individuals identified as responsible for the incident were arrested.

Investigators also seized a Volvo truck with a livestock trailer, which was allegedly used to transport the cattle. In addition, a pickup truck, cell phones, and a branding iron, a common tool in cattle marking, were seized. All of this was placed at the disposal of the judiciary as relevant evidence in the case.

The swift action was key to preventing the animals from being transported out of the province of Córdoba. Coordination between units and intensive monitoring in rural areas made it possible to recover all the cattle.