A man has been arrested in Bradley County for rustling 11 cows on July 12 from a pasture at the intersection of Chestuee Road and Gatlin Road. Dustin Chad Hutson has been charged with theft over $1,000 - cattle rustling.
The cows were reported to the Bradley County Sheriff's Office (BCSO) as having a value of $3,000.
A police representative said a “police beat” article in the Cleveland Daily Banner with details of the theft played a role in giving investigators new information that ultimately helped solve the theft.
A man who purchased 11 head of cattle several days earlier saw the article and contacted the criminal investigations division to ascertain if the cows he bought were the ones that had been stolen.
He told investigators that he met a man pulling a cattle trailer with an SUV at a retail parking lot where he was making adjustments to the trailer. They agreed to a purchase price of $3,000. A family emergency forced him to leave hurriedly, and his brother completed the transaction.
Hutson is currently being held in the Polk County jail for probation violation and will be moved to the Bradley County jail following release.
Sheriff Gobble and Det. Capt. Steve Lawson expressed appreciation and commended the citizen who voluntarily came forward with information about potentially stolen property knowing it could result in a substantial financial loss.