Several farm groups are offering a $7,500 reward for information that leads to an arrest in the vandalism of livestock operations in northeast Iowa. The executive director of the Coalition to Support Iowa’s Farmers, Brian Waddingham, says the vandalism happened in November in Bremer, Chickasaw and Fayette counties.
He says the vandalism was a little different in each case, but there was office equipment damaged, windows were broken out, vaccines and motor oil were poured onto the floor, drains were plugged, and electrical power was cut by using a 12-gauge shotgun to shoot out transformers. Waddingham says they aren’t what motivated the people to commit the damage.
Waddingham says they don’t have a good handle on that, but the vandals did have a pretty good working knowledge of the facilities. “We’re pretty sure they do have some livestock background, be we’re just not sure at this point if it was a random act, or if it was tied to an animal rights group,” Waddingham says. He says law officers are looking for any clues that would help them find the vandals.
Waddingham says it might not be obvious information, but if anyone saw a suspicious vehicle or might have overheard anything about vandalism, any information will help. Waddingham says if you have any information, call him at 800-932-2436, or call the sheriff’s department in Bremer, Chickasaw or Fayette counties.