FEARS livestock theft will rise due to strong prices have prompted the Victorian Farmers Federation to call for a police crackdown on farm thefts.
The VFF has estimated livestock theft will cost the industry more than $1 million this year.
VFF Livestock Group president Chris Nixon wrote to Victorian Police Commissioner Simon Overland last week to request a meeting.
"The combination of high livestock prices, especially for sheep and no dedicated police resourcing for livestock theft makes this type of crime an easy and lucrative target for thieves," Mr Nixon said.
"I personally have had around 40 head of cattle stolen from my property over a 12-month period; and at $600-$700 a head it's quite an expensive experience to go through."
Mr Nixon said there was a trend of farm crime not being reported, which was amplified by a lack of law enforcement that specifically dealt with on-farm theft.
"To properly address stock theft we need to increase police resourcing for specialised training; increase penalties for convictions; and widen the laws to include enablers of stock theft," Mr Nixon said.
A police spokesman said the Commissioner's office had not yet received the letter and said Mr Overland would not meet with the VFF but a representative would be appointed to address the issue.
"Victoria Police appreciates the impact rural crime, including the theft of livestock, has on farmers and the industry as a whole," the spokesman said.
"Police in regional areas continually monitor this issue and take any incidents of theft very seriously."
University of New England senior criminology lecturer Elaine Barclay said unreported crimes were a major challenge for law enforcement.
"Dobbing is not an Australian thing," Dr Barclay said.
"But there has been a lot more reporting in the last few years."
She said it could be hard to identify when things were stolen.
"It is not like you come home and see your house has been burgled," Dr Barclay said.
"Some incidences are not discovered until months after the event."
