Thieves robbed a farm of their fruit crop in the dark of night. Thousands of dollars worth of cherries, blueberries, and strawberries were stripped from bushes and tress at Corey Lake Orchards in Michigan. The Michigan Farm Bureau reports their story.
Beth Hubbard, with the orchard, states that she lost most of her sweet cherries due to a freeze, and only one type of cherry tree made it through. After telling her crew to go and pick those trees, she learned that they had been robbed clean.
It is believed that the culprits have a good knowledge of the operation, because they knew where and when to go and that they have a market for the stolen fruit. According to Ben Smith, Secretary for the Michigan State Horticulture Society, “Fruit is kind of an available commodity. The fields are open, they’re exposed, they’re next to roads, they’re easy to get to, and they’re unprotected.”
Trail cams, like those used by hunters, and flood lights are good security measures to keep your operation safe and are even deterrents for potential criminals.
