Three men charged over alleged theft of 300 cattle from outback station

Police have charged three men over the alleged theft of more than $250,000 worth of cattle from a pastoral station in northern WA.

The Rural Crime Team said the “extensive investigation” into the incident began after they received a report in October 2022 of cattle theft in the west Kimberley.

Police allege cattle were illegally mustered from Mount Pierre Pastoral Aboriginal Corporation station, located between Fitzroy Crossing and Halls Creek, between October 12 and 24 using helicopters, bull-catching buggies and portable cattle yards.

It is alleged a camp was set up on a neighbouring property, the Louisa Downs Pastoral Aboriginal Corporation station, and earthmoving equipment was used to grade a road that provided access to Mount Pierre.

“There were no permissions sought or granted to muster cattle from Mount Pierre station,” WA Police said in a statement.

Police allege 306 cattle were later trucked to a set of cattle yards and tagged as coming from Louisa Downs. 

In January this year, Northern Territory Police executed an “extra-territorial search warrant” at a property on the Adelaide River in the Northern Territory as part of the investigation.

“Rural Crime Team officers were able to identify that some of the cattle had been sold and exported,” WA Police said.

The average price for the cattle sold at the time was $827.09 per head, totalling more than $253,000 for all 306.

Police allege part proceeds of the cattle sales were deposited into several accounts of the accused people over several months.

Two Kimberley men, 41 and 39, both from Fitzroy Crossing, are due to face court on May 14 charged with stealing.

A man, 42, from the Northern Territory has also been charged with stealing and is due to appear before the Fitzroy Crossing Magistrates Court on July 9.