The Boulder County Sheriff's Office and Open Space and Mountain Parks (OSMP) are seeking public help identifying those responsible for a series of vandalism incidents involving the cutting of livestock fencing on leased agricultural lands. Since June 15, OSMP staff have documented more than a mile of intentionally cut fencing across 10 agricultural properties north, south, and west of Boulder, with the most recent incident reported on September 3.
The fencing is essential for containing cattle that graze these properties as part of OSMP's agricultural lease program, which supports wildfire fuel reduction and healthy grassland ecosystems. When fencing is cut, livestock can escape onto neighboring land or roadways. "Cutting livestock fencing is not only destructive, but also dangerous," said Dan Burke, director of Boulder's Open Space and Mountain Parks Department. "Loose cattle can wander into traffic or onto busy trails, putting people and animals at risk. These incidents also create a significant financial burden for the department and for our agricultural partners."
OSMP is asking residents near affected areas to review home security camera footage for suspicious activity, particularly during nighttime hours. Community members should report individuals repeatedly accessing agricultural areas at night or anyone seen near livestock fencing carrying tools or equipment. The sheriff's office warned residents against approaching or confronting anyone engaged in suspicious behavior and advised documenting observations and calling 911 if an active incident is occurring.
Residents with information about the vandalism can contact the Boulder County Sheriff's Office at 911 for active incidents or 303-441-4444 for non-active incidents. The associated case number is 26-04116.