400,000 oysters stolen from NSW farm; police seek public help

Australian police are searching for suspects after 400,000 oysters were taken from an oyster farm near Taree, north of Sydney. The theft was reported to police earlier this year.

Mass haul from oyster farm

Authorities said the stolen haul comprised over 300 bags containing a total of 400,000 oysters. The oysters are estimated to be worth Aus$350,000 (US$250,000).

Impact on grower

Oyster grower Ryan Freeman told the ABC he had lost a third of his stock. He said:

“We probably get through 35,000 to 40,000 dozen at Christmas time,”

and added,

“That’s why the thieves would have targeted them because they’re not going to be far off, they’re going to be able to sell them this Christmas.”

Police appeal

Police have urged members of the public to come forward with any information about the theft, which they said happened “earlier this year”. Police made an appeal and provided an update on Tuesday.

Why it matters

The theft represents a significant financial loss for the grower and the local oyster farm, and authorities are treating the incident as a matter requiring public assistance to locate the stolen stock and those responsible.

[Editorial note] The original source uses the phrases “earlier this year” and separately mentions “on Tuesday” in relation to police action. To match the source precisely, this article states that the theft was reported to police earlier this year and that police issued an appeal or update on Tuesday. Where the source does not explicitly link the weekday to the original reporting of the theft, no specific weekday is used for the initial report.