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Recent local cattle thefts are being investigated by both the Grayson County Sheriff’s Office and Kentucky State Police, and as a result, at least a few cattle farmers are keeping a closer eye on their fields.

Byron Embry, who runs Twin Creek Dairy on Beaver Dam Creek Road, explained that he noticed two calves missing from their individual pens on Wednesday, January 2 when he went to feed them.

He said that the 200-pound weaned calves were unchained and stolen, and both tire tracks and foot tracks were noticeable where the thieves had been.

Quick thinking led Embry to check local stockyard auctions, and he quickly discovered that the calves had been sold on Thursday night in Horse Cave.

While it was too late to recover the calves, Embry said that KSP has some significant leads in tracking down the thieves, and be believes justice will be served.

When asked what precautions he is taking now to protect his animals, Embry said, “We’re just trying to watch them closely.” He said neighbors are pitching in to keep an eye out as well.

“If somebody’s got enough nerve, they can take one,” he said, adding, “but they’ll eventually get caught.”

KSP Trooper Arthur Baetzel is continuing the investigation into the theft at Twin Creek Dairy.

In what appears to be a separate incident, Betty Morrison, of Cecilia, had six black Angus cows stolen from a field on Pleasant View Road in the Millwood Community.

Morrison said that she realized the cows were missing while checking the farm on Thursday, January 3. An in-depth look around the property revealed that there were no holes in the fencing, but the hinges had been removed from a gate which accessed the field the cows had been in, she said.

According to an incident report filed with the GCSO, Morrison estimated the value of the cows, which each had an ear tag, to be approximately $5,088.

Morrison works at an area stockyard in Sonora and said that she often assists farmers who call in to give descriptions of their lost or stolen animals in hopes of recovering them. She said that like Embry, she will be watching her fields and checking her cattle closely for a while.

GCSO is continuing its investigation into the Millwood cattle thefts.