Cows Killed While Thief Steals Calf From Castro Valley Rancher

CASTRO VALLEY (CBS SF) -- A thief shot three cows while stealing a calf from a Castro Valley rancher over the weekend, an Alameda County sheriff's sergeant said.

The rancher on Eden Canyon Road discovered at about 7 a.m.  Saturday that three of his cows had been shot and killed and a calf had been stolen, sheriff's Sgt. Ray Kelly said.

The thief had also taken the ears off of the dead cows, removing their identifying tags, the rancher said.  He believed the ears were taken as a souvenir.

"I just know they shot 'em, and they knew the cattle were there, and they said, 'let's get an ear, kinda like a trophy thing.'" rancher Josh Peixoto said.  "I wish I could find the people so I could deal with them."

It appears the thief shot the cows in an effort to steal the unmarked and unbranded calf. By shooting the calf's mother, the calf wouldn't run when the thief moved in to steal it, Kelly said.

"It's a particularly heinous way to go about stealing the calf," Kelly said. "It's completely uncalled for."

The thief will likely take the calf to a livestock sale, where it could fetch him several hundred dollars, Kelly said.

Peixoto said each of the cows that was killed were valued around $2,500.

The sheriff's office is looking for leads in the case and is asking anyone with information to call (510) 667-3602 or a tip line at (510) 667-3622.

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