HOLMES COUNTY, Ohio — A 37-year-old Wooster man was charged and arrested Thursday in connection to the theft of stolen cattle from two different Holmes County properties this month.
Chief Deputy Richard Haun with the Holmes County Sheriff’s Office confirmed that Justin Giauque faces at least one charge of receiving stolen property, after four Holstein Heifers and two Black Angus Cows were rustled over a span of three days.
The Heifers, located at a barn on State Route 514 in Knox Township, were about to give birth when they were taken on Aug. 5, deputies said.
The Black Angus Cows were reported stolen from a farm field on State Route 3 in Washington Township on Aug. 2.
“We believe they were stolen at night,” Sheriff Tim Zimmerly said.
Zimmerly said after a release was made about the thefts, tips came in confirming that the six stolen cattle were sold at nearby Mt. Hope Auction for $11,000.
“I want to thank the public because we got some tips from people calling us with some information and ultimately compiling the information together is where we are today,” Zimmerly said.
It is worth pointing out the attention the cattle industry has received lately. The price per pound of uncooked beef continues to rise, including by more than $1 since April of 2021.
Additionally, in an extreme case, a single steer at the Ohio State Fair recently sold for $225,000, shattering the record by $140,000.
Giauque remains locked up in the Holmes County Jail and the Sheriff's Office confirmed that the stolen cattle have been recovered.
“As a community pulls together and works together, you can solve a lot more crime,” Sheriff Zimmerly added.
