南非開普敦郊區的一位農夫為了防止自家農場的羊群被盜，特意給羊配了手機，一旦羊群遭到侵擾開始奔跑，綁在羊頸部的手機就會自動撥通主人的電話，發出警告。據悉，該農場幾周前遭竊賊潛入，盜走27只綿羊和13只羊羔，農場主絞盡腦汁才想出這一應對策略。他在幾個分散的羊群中挑出四只羊，給其頸部綁上類似手機的安全警報裝置，當手機發出警告時，他就可以得知是哪里的羊群有情況，以便立即采取行動。他表示，之所以自己采取行動而不報警是因為當地的警署距離農場都很遠，就算報警，警方也會因為沒有警車、警車沒油或者警車輪胎被盜等原因不能及時出警。

A South African farmer is fielding phone calls from his sheep after equipping them with cell phones to keep tabs on the flock amid recent livestock thefts, according to local press Wednesday.

A South African farmer is fielding phone calls from his sheep after equipping them with cell phones to keep tabs on the flock amid recent livestock thefts, according to local press Wednesday.

When the sheep call, it is always bad news for farmer Erard Louw of the Cape Town suburbs, as the phones around their necks are only set to switch on when the sheep start running, a sign thieves have cut through the fences.

"As they run it gives me a phone call and says 'sheep one' or 'sheep two' and so on, so at least I know where to start looking because the farm is 750 hectares (1,850 acres)," Louw told the Cape Times daily.

Louw attached the phone-like security device to the collars of four sheep in separate flocks after thieves sneaked in and stole 27 sheep and 13 lambs a couple weeks ago, driving Louw to rack his brain for ways to protect his animals.

He said there was no use calling nearby police, as they were stationed too far away and in his experience either lacked an available car or the vehicle was out of fuel or missing tyres -- also the work of thieves.

According to Louw, the cell phones have already proved their worth, with one sheep-snatcher caught thanks to the device.

Still, with theft attempts currently at their peak, given long winter nights and early nightfall, a few sheep-robbers managed to get away in spite of the device.

"The phone did start ringing that night and I went out," he said, but added that he was too late.

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(Agencies)

（中國日報網英語點津 Helen 編輯）