WHILE the rumour mill swirls about how 5500 sheep could disappear in a few months, detectives from Queensland’s Rural and Stock Crime Squad explain their investigation is focused on theft and are appealing for information.

Last week the Queensland Police issued an appeal for information following the theft of approximately 5500 Dorper sheep from a property on the Blackall-Isisford Road, outside of Blackall in western Qld.

Investigations indicate the Dorper ewes and rams, with an estimated value of more than $1.7 million, were stolen between February and May 2026.

Numerous sources familiar with the area have told Sheep Central that AAM is the only business known to be running large numbers of Dorpers in the region. The agricultural investment group has an aggregation of more than 100,000 hectares spanning Moorlands and Thornleigh on the Blackall-Isisford Road, as well as nearby Terrick Terrick, and Wooroolah. Neighbouring properties are mainly running cattle, goats or Merino sheep. In response to Sheep Central’s approach, an AAM representative said they could not comment, stating the matter is under police investigation.

While there has been some speculation that wild dogs could have had an impact on sheep numbers in the area, the stock squad believes theft was involved.

“The management team employed by the company did a lot of their own homework before they came to us and they accounted for things like attrition, stock losses and animal predation as part of those numbers,” Detective Senior Sergeant Paul Elliot said.

“The exclusion fencing in place is very good and they have taken measures to control the wild dogs inside the fence but even accounting that attrition they are still a considerable number of sheep down on their head count between musters.

“And despite their efforts to locate these sheep, which was quite extensive, they haven’t been located anywhere on the property, either dead or alive,” he said.

The missing sheep were first reported to the Qld Rural and Stock Crime Squad in May after a muster was conducted on the property, which revealed about 5500 sheep were missing.

“The intention of that muster was to provide animal husbandry to the large number of sheep which were on the property, which included preg-testing and maintaining the overall condition and health of the sheep,” Detective Senior Sergeant Elliot said.

The investigation indicates the ewes and rams were stolen between February and May – based on two counts that occurred while sheep were yarded.

$1.7m theft would require coordination

Sheep Central has been told by livestock transporters – to move 5500 ewes and rams in one go it would require seven road trains.

This is based off the calculation that you can fit 100 grown sheep on a deck, and a road train has eight sheep decks.

Given the logistics required to move such a large number of sheep simultaneously, Detective Senior Sergeant Elliot said the stock squad was keeping an open mind as to whether the sheep were stolen in one hit or in smaller mobs.

“It would be a logistical operation to put together and obviously organised to a certain extent,” he said.

“We’re keeping a very open mind, and we’d like the members of the community to keep an open mind and not focus on one piece of how or who, which is why we’re calling for community support in gathering information.

“Any piece of information in relation to this or any other rural crime issue should be reported to the police because it may seem insignificant to the person providing that information, but it may be a missing link that we need to move the investigation forward,” he said.

“Someone out there should know or have seen something, which will lead us eventually to the location of where these sheep have gone and the culprits responsible.”

Detective Senior Sergeant Elliot said it was less common to see large stock theft cases like this one.

“Yes, we have some large thefts and some allegations that animals have been stolen in large numbers, but we also have the opportunistic criminal activity where we have very small numbers that start to make up a percentage of our investigations as well,” he said.

“So we try and keep an open mind with every investigation.”

Stock theft has a lasting impact

There has histrionically been a correlation between high stock prices and increased stock theft.

Police are still seeking information about 142 Wagyu cross cattle that were stolen from a property northeast of Rockhampton, near Yeppoon, between April and May.

A $25,000 reward has been offered for information leading to the location and recovery of the cattle.

Detective Senior Sergeant Elliot said the Rural and Stock Crime Squad was quite busy but made sure to act on every complaint received.

“Livestock theft investigations can be very complex. They often span large geographical areas, and it can take time for producers to identify and report,” he said.

“That’s why we work closely with producers, saleyards, transport operators, industry stakeholders and local communities to identify offending behaviour and disrupt any criminal activity.”

Producers are encouraged to report missing stock as soon as possible and provide accurate records to help police progress the investigation quickly.

“Livestock theft can result in substantial financial losses. It places additional pressure on farming businesses and has lasting and devastating impacts on families, businesses and communities, as properties in remote areas are serviced by the very community that they live in and it all flows on,” Detective Senior Sergeant Elliot said.

Police are urging anyone who has seen Dorper sheep matching this description, or who has information about their whereabouts, to come forward.

Investigators are particularly interested in speaking with anyone who observed suspicious stock movements, livestock transport activity, or other unusual behaviour in the area.

The maximum penalty for stealing stock in excess of a value of $5,000 is 10 years imprisonment.

If you have any information, contact the Rural and Stock Crime Squad at Longreach on 07 4652 5209 or report anonymously through Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or the crime stoppers website.

You can also report information online using the online suspicious activity form 24hrs per day at www.police.qld.gov.au/reporting.

Reference QP2600984017.