Apenisa Waqairadovu 
File Photo
There have been more than 70 cases of cattle theft reported in Tavua so far this year.
Acting Deputy Commissioner of Police Aporosa Lutunauga says livestock farmers continue to struggle as thieves target their animals, making cattle theft one of the district’s most persistent crimes.
He adds that while Tavua has some of the lowest drug-related cases in the country, theft of livestock remains a major concern, and offenders will face the full force of the law.
“For this year alone we have 71 cases of cattle theft, and these issues usually happen on two occasions, like when there is a funeral. We are conducting investigations and out of that 71, we have 20 that have been taken to court. We also noted that some people from Suva come all the way to buy stolen cattle from Tavua.”
Lutunauga is urging livestock owners to properly tag and monitor their animals to assist with investigations.
“Some of them have reported cases but we could not establish because of the absence of the brands, so we cannot link them to the owner.”
Meanwhile, residents are calling on government to ensure better safety and support for police officers working in the field.
Tavua currently has 83 officers, but resources remain limited with only seven operational police vehicles.
Despite these constraints, Lutunauga says the force will continue working to protect the community as theft remains a major crime issue in the area.
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