A Buffalo Center, Iowa man has been charged with felony first-degree theft and third-degree burglary after authorities say he stole 150 pigs from Christensen Farms in November.
According to the Globe Gazette, Robert Lee Morales, 20, has been charged in the Lake Mills facility theft that took place the morning of Nov. 4.
On Nov. 5, the Winnebago County Sheriff’s Office received a report of pigs squealing in a snowmobile trailer with a flat tire. Fifty pigs were found inside. Later that day, authorities learned 150 pigs were missing from Christensen Farms.
Trail cam footage led authorities to identify Morales’ vehicle in the theft. His next court appearance is set for June 8.
Headquartered in Sleepy Eye, Minnesota, Christensen Farms is one of the largest, family-owned pork producers in the United States.
With nearly 1,000 employees and 1,500 contract partners, the company has facilities in Minnesota, Iowa, Nebraska, Illinois, and South Dakota. They currently operate four feed mills, manage 145,000 sows on 44 farms, and oversee more than 350 nurseries and grow-finish sites.
