Thieves abandon SUV, flee as goat theft attempt fails

Patna: In a bizarre incident, thieves were forced to abandon their SUV and flee after an attempt to steal goats was foiled in a village in Sheohar district. The incident took place late on Saturday in Rejma village under the Town police station area. Police suspect the goats were being stolen ahead of the Holi festival.

After receiving information, police reached the spot and found the abandoned SUV. The vehicle was seized and the goats were taken into custody. Officials said efforts were underway to identify the accused using the vehicle’s registration number.


Recounting the incident, a cattle owner, Deepak Pandey, said, “A wedding ceremony was underway in the village. The entire village was immersed in celebration amid the noise of a DJ and dhol. Taking advantage of the gathering, 3-4 thieves entered the village in an SUV. The thieves broke the gate of a house and forcibly loaded goats into the vehicle.”

Hearing the noise made by the cattle, villagers raised an alarm and chased the fleeing vehicle. In panic, the SUV veered off the road and got stuck in a muddy pit near Rejma village. With the wheels stuck and villagers closing in, the thieves abandoned the expensive vehicle and the goats and fled under the cover of darkness.

Pandey said the confusion continued into the night. “Around 1am, thieves untied and took away the goat. When we woke up in the morning, the goat was not there. Upon searching, we found out that the goat was at the police station. During the theft, when villagers raised a commotion, the thieves fled, leaving behind the goat and vehicle. After this, police were informed,” he said.

Following the alert, teams from the Town police station and Dial 112 reached the village. Town SHO Randhir Kumar Singh took possession of the SUV loaded with cattle and initiated an investigation. The victims were later called to the police station to identify their livestock, after which the goats were handed over to their rightful owners.

Singh said, “A case was registered against 4-5 people, including the vehicle owner and driver. Incidents of livestock theft using SUVs have increased in recent days. Therefore, villagers should also remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity to the police.”