$15,000 Mini Highland Heifer Reported Stolen From Gated Ranch on Reece Rd

SAN ANGELO, TX — A newborn Mini Highland heifer valued at about $15,000 was reported stolen from a gated ranch on Reece Road on Monday, according to the animal’s owner.

The heifer was born on Sunday morning and was last seen around 9 a.m. Monday. The owner said the calf was missing when she returned to the property around noon.

“We had been waiting nine and a half months for this Christmas baby,” the owner said. “I left for two hours, came back, and someone had stolen her." 

The calf was about 24 hours old at the time and had required hands-on assistance to nurse, according to the owner. She said she checked on the calf and its mother around 8:30 a.m. Monday before leaving the ranch.

The property is accessed through a gated cattle guard that requires a code, the owner said. The gate does not automatically close immediately, and several family members exited the property between 9 a.m. and noon.

Tom Green County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the reported theft. The case number is 2520528, and the case is being handled by Deputy Luna, according to the owner.

The owner said she has video showing the mother cow searching the barn for the calf at approximately 11:40 a.m. and again at 12:19 p.m. She also received still images of vehicles traveling on Reece Road during the time window from a Texas Department of Public Safety trooper.

Mini Highland cattle are uncommon in the area, and the owner said no nearby ranches are known to breed them. She has offered a reward for information leading to the calf’s recovery.

Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the Tom Green County Sheriff’s Office.