The Police in Kavango East Region are appealing to the residents to take care of their livestock and not desert them in crop fields.

Inspector Robert Katamba, the Community Affairs Unit Commander, says this is a peak time for livestock theft, a case in point being a farmer whose four cattle were stolen at Simpanda recently.

Inspector Katamba says thieves walk in groups because one or two cannot skin two cattle in a short period of time.

He called on the livestock owners not to leave their cattle unattended.

"Actually, this period is whereby members of the community leave their cattle astray in the fields or in the field where they are not grazing them, so now is when cases of stock theft are picking up, so we urge the members of the public to refrain from leaving cattle astray because criminals have the opportunity now to go in the field and get those cattle and slaughter them and do their illegal business."

Katamba cautioned people to avoid buying stolen meat.