Search Is Over: Fugitives In Cattle Theft Are Now In Custody

The hunt is over for two individuals allegedly involved in theft of cattle in Antelope County.

Rebecca M. (Bree) Robbins and Benjamin D. Johnson are now in custody. 

The Platte County Sheriff’s office contacted Antelope County Sheriff’s office late Tuesday morning and advised that they had Robbins and Johnson are in custody. 

Robbins is currently being held in the Platte County Jail, and Johnson has been transported to the Antelope County Jail on charges pending in Antelope County. 

Johnson is scheduled to appear tomorrow morning at 9:30 a.m. in Antelope County Court. 

Multiple agencies were involved in the search for the two, who were each wanted on three felony counts, in the theft of 34 cattle and 40 calves from Wilbur Rakow of rural Neligh. The cattle were sold to a Columbus couple, with Robbins collecting $16,000 in cash and checks, according to her probable cause affidavit. 

The cattle were returned to Rakow immediately after the couple who purchased the cattle were notified that they were stolen. 

Both Robbins, 22 of Lyons and formerly of Antelope County, and Johnson, 27 of St. Edward, were wanted on theft by deception (Class III felony), criminal attempted theft by unlawful taking (Class IV felony) and theft by unlawful taking (Class III felony). The arrest warrant for Robbins was filed June 26; the warrant for Johnson was filed July 9. Their alleged actions were to have taken place between Feb. 26 and June 24.

According to a probable cause affidavit for Johnson, he admitted to Antelope County Sheriff Bob Moore that he tried to help Robbins load cattle on May 19. He told Moore that he believed Robbins owned the cattle.

When speaking with Johnson’s mother in rural St. Edward on Tuesday, she told police that Robbins and Johnson left St. Edward in a hurry and left his three children behind immediately after their case was made public.

Johnson’s mother told police that she informed her son that Robbins "was no longer welcome on the place until she gets this mess cleaned up, the cattle theft.”

Related Stories:
Lyons Woman Accused Of Stealing Cattle In Antelope County
Reward Issued For Information On Robbins, Accomplices
Sheriff's Department Seeking Ben Johnson In Cattle Theft
UPDATE: Fugitive Admits To Sheriff He Tried To Load Cattle

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