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6 ‘beloved pet’ goats returned to owners after being stolen, sold to meat market Ten goats returned to owners after police say man sold them to meat markets
(about 3 hours later)
Six of the eight goats that were stolen from properties in Stafford County have been found safe, and a Fauquier County man was arrested and charged after he sold them to a halal meat market, authorities said. Ten goats that were stolen from properties in Stafford and Spotsylvania counties have been found safe, and a Fauquier County man was arrested after he sold them to meat markets, authorities said.
The Stafford County Sheriff’s Office said they arrested and charged Steven Calleja Jr., 33, with two counts of felony larceny of an animal after he stole the goats from two different properties in Stafford County. The Stafford County Sheriff’s Office said they have charged Steven Calleja Jr., 33, with two counts of felony larceny of an animal after he stole a total of eight goats from two different properties in Stafford County.
Three of the goats were reported missing Saturday from a property on Equestrian Drive in the northern portion of Stafford County, according to police. And a few hours later, another person called, saying five goats had been stolen from a barn behind a home on Green Acre Drive about two miles away. Spotsylvania County Sheriff’s Office spokesman Jeff Pearce said Calleja will also face charges in Spotsylvania for stealing two more goats from a rural property there.
On Tuesday night, authorities said they received a tip that Calleja had sold the goats to Safa Halal Meat Market in Fredericksburg. The market, sheriff’s officials said, only bought six of the goats. On Tuesday night, Stafford County authorities said they received a tip that Calleja had sold goats to Safa Halal Meat Market in Fredericksburg. The market, officials said, bought six of the Stafford goats and the two Spotsylvania goats.
Detectives got the goats. They were unharmed and returned to their respective owners, authorities said. Pearce said the remaining two Stafford goats later turned up safe at a livestock market in Fredericksburg.
But authorities said in a statement that they were “unable to locate the two other goats.” Detectives got the goats, unharmed, and returned them to their respective owners, authorities said.
Calleja posted a $5,000 bond.Calleja posted a $5,000 bond.
“Two families have been reunited with their beloved pets,” said Sheriff David Decatur in a news release. “We are hoping that someone out there knows the whereabouts of the other two goats so they can also be reunited with their owners.” “Two families have been reunited with their beloved pets,” said Stafford County Sheriff David Decatur in a news release.
The case is still being investigated. The one remaining mystery: What happened to the two sheep that were also stolen from a farm in Prince William County this weekend?