JCF’S Agricultural Protection Branch Urges Farmers to Use NAITS to Combat Praedial Larceny

The Agricultural Protection Branch (APB) of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) is urging farmers to utilise the National Animal Identification and Traceability System (NAITS), as it will assist the police in reducing praedial larceny and catching the perpetrators.

The NAITS system employs unique animal tags and passports to generate detailed records of each animal’s identity, owner, location, and movement.

This information enables farmers to track and recover livestock more efficiently in cases of theft.

“The purpose of this is that when the thieves come and they steal your animals, because they don’t have the passport along with the animal, we are able to stop them and charge them for that offence, because there is an offence for not having the passport and there is an offence for not having the tags on these animals. So we really need you [the farmers] to participate by getting fully involved in this system,” the APB’s Sergeant Leo Rodgers said.

He noted, however, that many farmers remain unaware of NAITS but urged them to “get on board… get your animals tagged”.

Sergeant Rodgers was addressing a Farmers Meeting at the Guys Hill Town Hall in St. Catherine on November 20 on ways to support law enforcement in tackling praedial larceny.

He also highlighted the importance of issuing receipts when farmers conduct sales of livestock and produce above a certain value.

Sergeant Rodgers stated that providing a receipt to buyers will assist the police in identifying stolen property if a vehicle is stopped on suspicion of theft.

“We want the legitimate farmers to get themselves registered and issued a receipt so that, when we stop a vehicle with agricultural produce and we suspect that it is stolen, we can start by asking them for the receipt. Not having the receipt, we can now apprehend them for it,” he added.

The APB representative pointed out that this is even more important following the devastation of the agricultural sector by Hurricane Melissa.

“We don’t want the farmers to work hard, build back their produce, and then the thieves come and take everything away. So we need a partnership with the police and the farmers and the Ministers and members of RADA (Rural Agricultural Development Authority) to accomplish our task,” he urged.

Meanwhile, Sergeant Rodgers encourages farmers to report incidents of praedial larceny promptly, noting that this will assist the police in setting up timely roadblocks and searching vehicles for stolen items.

He also insists that farmers and community members look out for each other and report suspicious vehicles or activities to the police, adding that “[preventing praedial] larceny is everybody’s business”.