An apparent wave of sheep killings in rural Iceland has had one farmer speculate that – despite the lack of any evidence – this must be the work of foreigners, and Icelandic media source Vísir is reporting this theory as fact.
Skessuhorn has reported that a number of partially butchered sheep have been found in the Borgarbyggð area. Judging by the way the animals have been butchered at the separate locations, police believe it is the work of the same person, and also believe the suspect is experienced in butchering sheep. However, there are as yet no witnesses nor any suspects.
This hasn’t stopped former recreational farmer Helgi Kristjánsson from speculating that the perpetrators in question must be foreigners. “I believe these are foreigners who come to this country for the purpose of living off the land. They travel in a trailer and hunt for food. … Although Icelanders are no angels, they are not familiar with [sheep theft] and would not tolerate it.”
Although Skessuhorn – the news website of rural west Iceland – has presented the story responsibly, under the headline “Sheep Thief Still at Large,” the Reykjavík-based Vísir decided to go with the headline “Foreigners Hunt Themselves Food“. While the Vísir article does tell most of the story – except the bit about the police believing this to be the work of someone who has experience with slaughtering sheep – the headline essentially presents the theory of one individual not working in law enforcement as fact.
We at the Grapevine hope the sheep thief is caught and brought to justice.
UPDATE: Vísir has now posted a new story on the subject, with information about the police saying that whoever is killing the sheep knows what they’re
doing. No mention of foreigners in the update. The old story, and its
headline, is still up, however.