Cows for Cash | Explorer

So I joined the Oklahoma State Police Department in 1974. When I retired in 2008, I was at home watching The Young and the Restless on the TV when my wife came through there, and she said, "You will find something to do."

Back in the 1800s, you got caught stealing cattle, what happened? They'd find a rope, and they'd find a tree, and they'd stamp your ticket right there.

"Hey, what you got, man?" The rancher called me. He had yesterday morning about 10 steers that were in his corral. And when he got here yesterday afternoon, they were gone.

Cattle theft is really lucrative for the people who steal these cattle. If I steal your TV that you spent $2000 for, I maybe get $50 for it. But the cattle aren't like that. If I steal your cow, I can take that cow to a stock market and it's going to bring $1,200, $1,500 a head. It's quick money if you don't get caught.

These tracks right here look like they've got out. We want to stop this kind of thing from happening. But what these guys—when we arrest these people when they're stealing cattle—it is not uncommon anymore. We hear it every day. The reason why is because of their addictions to meth.