Thieves steal three cows by stuffing them into passenger car

Fuerza Publica photo.

April 7th, 2014 (InsideCostaRica.com) Thieves stole three heifers weighing 180 kilos each by stuffing them into a stolen passenger car on Friday night in Santa Rosa de Pocosol, San Carlos, near Costa Rica’s northern border with Nicaragua.

The thieves had apparently removed the vehicle’s rear seats to make room for the animals.

The suspects, three men ranging in age from 37 to 45 who were traveling in the vehicle, were arrested by police officers.

One of the heifers died from apparent suffocation and dehydration shortly after authorities struggled to free the animal from the car.

Authorities believe the thieves had intended to sneak the animals across the border into Nicaragua.

Police believe the trio may be part of a band responsible for the theft of livestock from farms in Cartago, Heredia and Alajuela.

Remarkably, this is not the first case of cattle theft using a passenger vehicle.  While there have been several occurrences, one of the most well known is the theft of a cow named María del Milagro, who thieves stuffed into the back seat of a taxi in San Pedro de Coronado, San José, in 2004.  The images made national headlines at the time.

María del Milagro was stolen in a taxi in 2004.