Kevin Bloom convicted, fined for stealing sheep from Mount Camel property
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A Victorian man has been fined for stealing livestock from his neighbour after police used DNA testing to prove who the animals belonged to.
Strathdale resident Kevin Bloom, 34, pleaded guilty to the theft of 11 crossbred sheep worth $1,300 from a Mount Camel property between December 30, 2023, and January 3, 2024.
The 34-year-old was fined $2,000 in Bendigo Magistrates Court on Wednesday.
The court heard Bloom, who runs a small sheep operation near Mount Camel, east of Bendigo, with his father, stole the sheep from Jeffrey and Mary Healy.
Neighbour Alister Safstrom was alerted to the crime when he got a notification that his electric fence had been cut on January 3, 2024.
Later that day, he saw Bloom on their shared fence line with about 30 sheep, which were moved to the Blooms' shearing shed.
Mr Safstrom filmed Bloom loading the sheep and contacted police, who ordered livestock agency McKean and McGregor to contact them if "the accused presented sheep for sale at the Bendigo Livestock Exchange."
Detective Senior Constable Gregory Broom attended the Bendigo saleyards and requested that the sheep not be sold.
Several days later, the Healys said 18 of their sheep were missing, and police began a formal investigation.
The following week, police from New South Wales took tissue samples from the sheep at the saleyard and from the Healys' remaining flock and sent them to the NSW Department of Primary Industries.
"Analysis of the results confirmed 11 out of the 19 sheep that the accused presented for sale at the Bendigo Livestock Exchange had direct DNA lineage back to the mob of sheep that remained at the property belonging to the victims," prosecutor Jaidyn Taverna told the court.
He said seven sheep the Healys reported stolen were not found.
A few weeks later, Bloom stole two surf and turf meals along and 12 pots of beer with a total value of $102.
Magistrate Williams said Bloom had breached his neighbours' trust and shown a "degree of preparation" that showed the crime was "financially driven".
"Farmers for a long time throughout Australian history have worked together, particularly when things are tough," he said.
"This is a serious breach of trust. The reality is that the victim of this is never going to trust you again."
Bloom was ordered to pay a $2,000 fine.
In March, Bloom was also ordered to pay $2,093.32 in court costs after eight witnesses were brought to the Bendigo Magistrates' Court for a committal trial that did not proceed.
By Emma Field
Strathdale resident Kevin Bloom, 34, pleaded guilty to the theft of 11 crossbred sheep worth $1,300 from a Mount Camel property between December 30, 2023, and January 3, 2024.
The 34-year-old was fined $2,000 in Bendigo Magistrates Court on Wednesday.
The court heard Bloom, who runs a small sheep operation near Mount Camel, east of Bendigo, with his father, stole the sheep from Jeffrey and Mary Healy.
Kevin Bloom admitted to stealing the animals from his neighbours. (Supplied)
Neighbour Alister Safstrom was alerted to the crime when he got a notification that his electric fence had been cut on January 3, 2024.
Later that day, he saw Bloom on their shared fence line with about 30 sheep, which were moved to the Blooms' shearing shed.
Mr Safstrom filmed Bloom loading the sheep and contacted police, who ordered livestock agency McKean and McGregor to contact them if "the accused presented sheep for sale at the Bendigo Livestock Exchange."
DNA samples compared
On January 7, Bloom brought 19 crossbred sheep to the Bendigo saleyards and provided a false national vendor declaration form claiming he bred the sheep himself.Detective Senior Constable Gregory Broom attended the Bendigo saleyards and requested that the sheep not be sold.
Several days later, the Healys said 18 of their sheep were missing, and police began a formal investigation.
Detective Senior Constable Greg Broom helped solve the case by ordering the stolen sheep not to be sold and later collecting DNA samples. (ABC Ballarat: Charlotte Wilkes)
The following week, police from New South Wales took tissue samples from the sheep at the saleyard and from the Healys' remaining flock and sent them to the NSW Department of Primary Industries.
"Analysis of the results confirmed 11 out of the 19 sheep that the accused presented for sale at the Bendigo Livestock Exchange had direct DNA lineage back to the mob of sheep that remained at the property belonging to the victims," prosecutor Jaidyn Taverna told the court.
He said seven sheep the Healys reported stolen were not found.
Theft of beer, surf and turf
In sentencing, Magistrate Jarrod Williams said he had to take into account Bloom's criminal history, which included the theft of a fish tank from a pet store in November 2019.A few weeks later, Bloom stole two surf and turf meals along and 12 pots of beer with a total value of $102.
Magistrate Williams said Bloom had breached his neighbours' trust and shown a "degree of preparation" that showed the crime was "financially driven".
The sheep Bloom stole (not pictured) were valued at $1,300. (ABC Rural: Fiona Broom)
"Farmers for a long time throughout Australian history have worked together, particularly when things are tough," he said.
"This is a serious breach of trust. The reality is that the victim of this is never going to trust you again."
Bloom was ordered to pay a $2,000 fine.
In March, Bloom was also ordered to pay $2,093.32 in court costs after eight witnesses were brought to the Bendigo Magistrates' Court for a committal trial that did not proceed.
By Emma Field
