Berry bandit strikes again at Campbellton farm
Farmer says thieves could have eaten their fill for $3, calls theft 'disappointing'
It's not your usual target for thieves, but someone broke into Campbellton Berry Farm in central Newfoundland and stole about $300 worth of raspberries and jam.
"Someone who is quite slim crawled in underneath a piece of plastic that we have for our kiosk at the entrance, and ripped it and managed to get in," says owner Philip Thornley.
The theft would have happened some time Sunday.
"It looked like they had some help because they seemed to be passing it over a fence and, well, it's disappointing," said Thornley.
"It's not part of the dream I had for the farm, that I've got to start arming against people stealing."
Thornley said the thieves made off with 40 pints of berries and a half dozen jars of jam.
"They would have had their arms full," he said, adding the bandits moved quickly.
"They did it within about an hour. They may have been hiding in the woods and watching, or it could have been children because there were some children tearing around the farm on their ATVs."
Thornley said he told the young riders to go home, so he believes "it may have been revenge."
This is the second robbery at the farm in as many years. In March 2015, berries meant for the Kids Eat Smart school program were stolen from Thornley's freezer.
After this incident, Thornley said he will likely install surveillance cameras.
"If it is kids, they've got to know they can't get away with it," he said.
"If they wanted to come to the farm and pay three dollars they could fill their stomachs. They wouldn't have to break in."
With files from Central Morning Show