Alan Chris Beck, 46, of Evergreen Drive, Lehighton, admits he sold eight cows at a livestock auction in Lancaster County.

The only problem is, the cows weren't his.According to police he stole them from a Mahoning Township farm.Beck waived a preliminary hearing on the charge which was scheduled for yesterday before District Judge Edward M. Lewis of Jim Thorpe.He has been charged with a felony count of theft by unlawful taking or disposition.The charges have been forwarded to Carbon County Court.The cows were allegedly owned by Carlin and Kenneth Troxell of Troxells Road.Mahoning Township Police Officer Audie Mertz states in his affidavit that Beck has admitted the theft in a written statement.Mertz states that on June 1, a report was filed by Carl Troxell claiming that several cows, owned by Carlin and Kenneth Troxell, were missing from the Troxell farm.On June 7, Troxell told Officer Mertz that a total of eight cows were missing and that they might have been sold at the New Holland Sales Stable in Lancaster County.Mertz, according to the affidavit, received documentation from New Holland Sales Stable that Beck sold four cows at a beef sale on May 15 for $2,407.13, and four more cows on June 1 for $2,296.30.Checking with the buyers, Mertz said he learned six of the cows were butchered. The two not killed were sold to a farmer. The Troxells identified these two cows as their own.The affidavit by Mertz states that police received a call on Aug. 28 from attorney Gerald Barr, who was representing Beck. The affidavit said this led up to Beck giving a statement admitting to the thefts.The affidavit does not state how Beck managed to steal the large farm animals.