GARDAÍ HAVE RECOVERED 18 cattle that were stolen from a farm in west Cork last month.

Overnight on Monday 24 November, 12 Friesian heifers and six Friesian bulls, worth €30,000, were taken in a raid by cattle rustlers from a farm in the Lakelands area of Skibbereen, Co Cork.

Gardaí from the Serious Crime Units in Clonakilty, Bandon and Bantry, along with the Divisional Search Team and the Department of Agriculture, are conducting a search operation in the Ballydehob area of West Cork.

The search operation is being undertaken as part of ongoing investigations into theft of 18 cattle at the farm in the Lakelands area of Skibbereen.

As a result of the searches, the 18 cattle that were stolen have been found and identified.

A garda spokesperson said the searches remain ongoing at this time and confirmed that no arrests have been made at this time.

Speaking at the time of the theft, owner Brian Lawlor told RTÉ that he didn’t immediately realise cattle were missing, as the people responsible were “clever”.

“They took all of the cattle from one pen but then, when they were finished stealing… they moved other cattle to fill that pen to make it look less obvious.”

Lawlor said he was afraid the rustlers would return for more of the herd.

“We’ve all heard stories of cattle going missing, but you’d never think that would come to your own door.”