Stock theft in the Erongo Region increased by 21% between 2024 and 2025, with the number of large animals reported stolen rising from 122 to 167, according to figures presented by Erongo Regional Police Commander Commissioner Nikolaus Kupembona at a farmers’ engagement in Omaruru last Friday (20 February).

Kupembona told farmers that in 2024, 122 large animals, including cattle, horses and donkeys, were stolen, with only 36 recovered. Police registered 137 cases and arrested 32 suspects. He said the total value of stolen stock, including small stock such as goats, sheep and pigs, amounted to about N$1.3 million, while recovered stock was valued at N$418 900.

In 2025, the number of large animals stolen rose to 167, with 44 recovered. Police recorded 277 small stock stolen, with 56 recovered. He said 167 cases were registered and 41 suspects arrested. The value of stolen stock rose to about N$2.6 million, while recovered stock value stood at N$78 000. Kupembona also provided a snapshot for January, saying 40 small stock were stolen, 10 cases were registered and four suspects were arrested, with an estimated value of N$84 350.

 “According to our comparison of the two years statistics, we can see that there is an increase in stock theft cases. Which is really worrisome,”

Kupembona said, linking the crime trend to demand in communities for stolen meat. “The criminals are only motivated by the community who are supporting them… buying those stolen meat,” he said.

Kupembona described farm crime as a regional security concern.

“Farming is not just a business, but it’s also a way of life that feeds our nation. When your livestock are stolen by criminals, your equipment are vandalized, or your properties are invaded, there’s an attack on the security of the entire region,” he said.

 He said the police regarded farm safety as a priority but could not cover remote areas alone.

“I’ll be honest with you that the police cannot be everywhere, and we cannot fight any crime, including crime of stock theft, alone,” he said, calling for faster response, stronger police presence and early reporting from farmers.

He urged farmers to act as “eyes and ears”, strengthen farm security through CCTV and lighting, organise farm watches and improve communication through radio or WhatsApp systems. He also warned that internal risks existed on farms, saying not all workers could be assumed to be trustworthy, and encouraged proper screening and oversight.

Kupembona criticised delayed reporting and unbranded livestock, saying both weakened investigations and prosecution. He also called for stronger cooperation between neighbours and said patrols and crime prevention education in farming areas would be intensified.

“Manpower will always be a challenge, but I don’t want to give it as an excuse,” he said.

 Farmers, however, pressed police on whether the engagement would lead to concrete outcomes. Markus Trede of the Omaruru Boere Vereniging referred to a similar meeting held about three years ago and said farmers had since increased patrols and private security measures because they understood police capacity was limited. He asked what lessons police had taken from that meeting and what actions had followed.

“I heard a lot of voices that just said, in another meeting, nothing will happen,” he said.

Trede described incidents he said reflected weak follow-through and slow response, including a case where evidence linked to a suspect was not pursued and another where farmers tracked suspects to a village but said officers arrived late and unequipped. He questioned whether senior officers reviewed open dockets, what measures existed to secure rapid response during active pursuits, and how police intended to rebuild trust and remove “black sheep” within the force.

Kupembona described the cases as “unfortunate” and said details could be followed up after the meeting. He urged farmers not to accept delays when incidents were unfolding.

“There’s no tomorrow. Tomorrow it will be too late,” he said, advising them to escalate concerns through station commanders or his office. He also rejected claims that confiscated meat was used by officers, saying procedures governed how evidence was returned or disposed of.

MEFT warden Martin Herman told farmers that poaching had increased and said coordination between the ministry and farmers needed improvement.

Omaruru farmer Vehaka Tjimune raised concerns about municipal camps near farms becoming squatter settlements linked to poaching and theft, and questioned why communities failed to report illegal meat sales. “The community knows where to eat and go and find this meat being poached. But the community is quiet,” he said.

He suggested the use of drones and road cameras to improve tracking, while acknowledging cost and monitoring challenges.

 Kupembona again urged communities to stop buying stolen meat, saying demand allowed criminals to operate quickly and dispose of stolen stock within hours.

"Together we can make it,” he said, linking his message to the Omaruru Boere Vereninging’s slogan from their shirts: “Together we stand, divided we fall.”