Utah Business Faces Official Indifference Toward Illegal Acts
Last year, activists with the Utah Animal Rights Coalition snuck onto the premises of the Circle Four Farm in Beaver County, Utah, and stole two pigs that it claimed were sick and/or injured.
The farm wants local police to pursue charges against the activists, but so far has been met with official indifference apparently because of the relatively low value of what was stolen (the pigs are only valued at $30 each).
Beaver County Attorney Vaughn Christiansen told the Salt Lake Tribune,
It’s [the investigation] just kind of all fizzled out. I still haven’t even received a police report on the case.
Meanwhile the Sheriff’s Office, which would been responsible for producing that police report, says it turned the case over to the FBI for some reason. Not surprisingly, the FBI isn’t going to pursue the case.
Beaver County Sheriff Ken Yardley told the Salt Lake Tribune that the theft of the pigs could constitute a felony under Utah laws that specifically protect agricultural property, but the activists would likely get off relatively easy due to the value of the animals as well as it being a likely first offense for the activists.
Which is difficult to understand. Presumably if a local business called to say that it had apprehended a shoplifter trying to leave with $60 worth of merchandise, the Sheriff would not tell the store owner to simply let the person go because $60 wasn’t really that much and if it were the person’s first offense he or she would likely get off with a minor punishment.
Source:
Investigation fizzles in hog farm raid. Brent Israelsen, The Salt Lake Tribune, June 20, 2003.
Tags: Pigs, Utah Animal Rights Coalition