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Farmers count the cost as rustlers go hi-tech

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It may sound like a chapter out of the American Wild West, but Australian farmers say an explosion in cattle rustling is costing them millions of dollars a year.

In a modern twist on a crime romanticised by artists and bush poets since the 19th century, today's rustlers use helicopters, light aircraft and motorcycles to round up thousands of cattle and sheep on remote Outback properties.

In some cases rustlers - or 'duffers' as they are known in Australia - have stolen more than A$100,000 (HK$400,000) worth of livestock in one night, threatening owners with bankruptcy.

Last year livestock theft amounted to A$2.3 million in New South Wales alone. Authorities say a lot more goes unreported.

'Farmers are losing thousands of dollars. It's a major problem,' said Sarah Dent, spokeswoman for the National Farmers' Federation.

The recent upsurge in rustling has been driven by the high price of beef, with a calf now fetching around A$600, compared with A$300 three years ago.

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