SURVEILLANCE cameras aren’t standard paddock fare - but for Colin and Amanda McCrabb they’re become a necessary if costly investment they hope will save them thousands of dollars longer term.
The McCrabbs, "Millabong", Deniliquin, have installed surveillance cameras at paddock gates after having 20 per cent of their young ewe flock stolen in the past 12 months.
In the past three years in total, they estimate they have lost about 500 mixed-age Merino weaners.
Mr McCrabb’s parents, Ken and Mary McCrabb, who live nearby have also been targeted. They had smaller lots of sheep taken during the past two years amounting to 140 ewes from their Merino stud, Avenel.
The ongoing theft has come at a major cost to the hip pocket for the McCrabbs.
"I could have sold some of those sheep for $200 each - and that doesn’t even take into account their wool value," Colin McCrabb said.
"It has cost us at least $100,000 when you also consider the 140 stud ewes my parents had taken.
"To carry the stock all through the drought and then have this happen really takes the cake.
"It is not just the financial loss - it is the genetic loss as well."
The weatherproof portable surveillance cameras cost $800 each and can be used to take both still shots and video footage.
Mr McCrabb knew of at least two other farmers in the Hay district who put in surveillance cameras after having stock and fuel stolen.
He said stock theft had become more prevalent in the past five years as sheep and lamb values increased.
The McCrabbs believe their sheep have been nabbed by people who were restocking - and who were familiar with the area.
"They are young, quality breeding stock with six months wool on them when they were stolen, which is what makes us think it’s people restocking," Mr McCrabb said.
"They are acting on moonlit nights and taking them in smaller trailer loads.
"It might be 40 head one month and 30 the next month."
Mr McCrabb said they were left with no other option than to spend several thousand dollars on surveillance cameras after padlocking their gates failed to deter thieves.
"We have become so vigilant of who is on our property, and we always take a second glance at any stock on trailers we pass on the road to make sure they are not our sheep," Mrs McCrabb said.
"We have become more aware of vehicle movements and tracks on our property."
Mrs McCrabb said a "neighbourhood watch" system was important on large properties where it was hard for farmers to monitor activity in their far paddocks.
So far, they have only caught motorbike riders trespassing on their 2500-hectare property.
Mr McCrabb said while the NSW Police stock squad had camped out on several occasions at the property, the thieves remained at large.
"The police are gathering intelligence so when the thieves do get caught there will be a strong case history," he said.
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