On Monday, the cows were found bloody in Nord-Fron in the Inland. Eight out of ten cows on the farm of farmer Elin Blekastad in Skåbu had received a total of 14 injuries while grazing in the open. The police believe that the damage is probably due to shots from an air rifle and have started an investigation of the case. Former Kripos investigator Per Angel says on a general basis that dog searches for blood traces can very often lead to a crime scene where the blood traces start. Nevertheless, the police in this case have chosen not to use a dog to search for traces of blood. INJURY: Both the veterinarian and the police have examined the eight cows that have been injured. This cow has damage to the udder. Photo: Private – The tracks disappear Blekastad thinks this is too bad an investigation. – Day after day passes, and the tracks become more and more gone. I think this is incredibly defensive of the police, says the desperate farmer. FOLLOW-UP OF INJURED ANIMALS: Elin Blekastad says that it has been a great strain to see how frightened the injured animals have been. Photo: Dag Kessel / news Chief of Police Jon Gaarden replies that the police’s assessment is that the use of a dog is best suited shortly after the incident, for example the same evening. – I do not know what was considered to be the patrol and operations manager, he says. LEADING THE INVESTIGATION: Police Station Chief Jon Gaarden. Photo: Ruth Barsten / news Blekastad believes a dog could smell backwards in the terrain, and arrive at the place where the cows were shot at. She says she has repeatedly urged police to use this method of investigation. – Could use a regular hunting dog Per Angel has 30 years of experience from Kripos, and has worked for several years with training of criminal search dogs. He emphasizes that he does not know this specific case, and speaks on a general basis. – Following a blood trail in a case like this is so easy for a dog that you probably do not need a police dog. It would be good enough with a normal hunting dog, he says. KRIPOS VETERAN: Per Angel has trained criminal search dogs. Photo: Øyvind Bye Skille / news Angel says that the dog could smell its way to the place of origin. There, the police could have gone further in the investigation and perhaps found cigarettes, snipes or footprints of people who have been there. – Is it too late to use a dog now when the incident happened on Sunday? – It is conceivable that it is still possible if it has not rained. But it is clear that with each passing day, more and more is disappearing. The blood dries and is eaten up by insects and ants. He says that it is also important to get projectiles taken out of the animal’s body to secure evidence. On Friday, the vet was trying to pick out projectiles. – Why did this start so late? – In investigations, there is probably often something that could have been done differently, Gaarden answers. Blekastad says that she has been told by a police investigator that they have finished the physical examinations on the spot. – I react strongly to this. I think they are not finished, she says. Door-to-door action Police Station Chief Jon Gaarden replies that even though they did not arrive two days in a row after the incident, it is entirely possible that they will come later to do more in connection with the investigation. He says that the investigation is far from finished, and that he can not comment on details about it. The police have previously said that they will be in continuous contact with both the animal owner and the veterinarian to move forward in the case. They have also conducted door-to-door action and talked to neighbors. It is veterinarian Gisle Bøye who has been on the farm and examined the animals. He will not comment on the case, even though news emphasizes that the farmer has released him from the duty of confidentiality. On Friday morning, no one was arrested or charged in the case. FOLLOW-UP OF INJURED ANIMALS: Elin Blekastad says that it has been a great strain to see how frightened the injured animals have been. Photo: Dag Kessel / news
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Farmer in Skåbu criticizes police investigation after finding injured cows – news Innlandet – Local news, TV and radio
