[Potty Plotty Lotty]

Popped to the plot after work and found that every single strawberry had been taken. 

It took me a couple of seconds to realise since there was still the lovely aroma of ripe strawberries in the air when I approached to patch. On Wednesday night they were laden with nearly ripe berries and now someone has meticulously picked (stolen) all of them-including the partially ripe ones by the look of it.

At least we managed a reasonable harvest. I have some Albions so they should produce for the next few months but I don't remember seeing many flowers on them, although I was in disbelief admittedly.

Has anyone else had crops stolen? Any suggestions? We have a quiet site of about 6 keen allotmenters and lots of untended plots. We are surrounded by high fences but they can easily be climbed over by determined individuals.

[m1ckz]

we get the odd cabbage going    but not on your scale,,,sry to hear it,,would put me right off..well gl

[Beetroot queen]

We had a terrible time back in 2009 with stolen stuff, we didnt get more than a handful of runner beans off one whole frame that was on the back of our plot. They also pinched one of my huge 11lb red cabbage so i not happy.

Berries seemec popular that year too, we went at 11 am but forgot the pots went back at 4pm and the bushes were bare not one berry left.  very annoying, yes the birds could of had the berries but they certainly didnt take my cabbage and runners 

Also corn was pickec and beautifully stacked on the path and left, they must have been disturbed 

[barley]

that's awful 

thank goodness my plots are all at home as we have quite a bit of land here , I really feel for you lottie owners and your theft problems

wish I was local to you as we have strawberries in abundance and you would be welcome to some

[AnneB]

We get problems from time to time.   We could do with a better fence and our Association is saving up for this as the Council has no funds.   

It does definitely improve things with a good occupancy rate for plots.  With different working hours and retired people there is usually someone on our smallish site for most of the day time in summer.  We took to putting a notice up at the entrance advertising that there were vacant plots and bullied / badgered the allotment office at the council to allocate empty plots and take plots away from those no working them.  We had to enlist the help of Councillors in this.

We also make a point of reporting every crime to the police, and I would include crop theft, vandalism, arson, tool theft etc.  if they see that the site is a focus for anti social behaviour they pay more attention.  Our site is in a local park and we now get regular patrols from PCSOs.  The presence is a deterrent.   We also got them to visit and they advised us to trim the border hedges lower so that activity on site is visible. 

Not saying we have no problems now, and we anticipate the school holidays with trepidation, but things are better than they were.
 

[Kleftiwallah]

A (fake) warning notice about some dastardly dangerous chemical spray to counteract a nasty fungal pest MAY put people off.

Cheers,   Tony.

[LilacSandy]

Unfortunately with food prices still rising thieves are more prevalent than ever, someone keeps targeting chicken keepers on our site, taking eggs and food but then takes other things on the way off the plot.  The girl opposite me is so fed up she is buying a camera to catch them. 

If she can catch them then we will evict them from the site.  The most annoying thing is that we are pretty sure it is an allotment holder, so they know how much hard work goes into raising a crop or keeping chickens. 

[JohnB47]

How sad. What with the weather to contend with, we can do wothout people actually stealing from us. If I was you I would be furious. Keep going is all I can say.

[shoozie]

Popped to the plot after work and found that every single strawberry had been taken. 

Has anyone else had crops stolen? Any suggestions? We have a quiet site

Just another suggestion, don't ever discount voles ... They are the perfect strawberry thieves .... we are picking them just over from semi-ripe as the nighttime rodent  raiders will be off with them all.  I've found their stashes over the years, so look around for little piles of semi-ripe fruit. If you find size 9 foot prints then forget about voles 

[Annen]

Popped to the plot after work and found that every single strawberry had been taken. 

 

Do you have netting on?  Was it undisturbed?  I can't imagine a thief putting it carefully back.


Very annoying, I had my potatoes pulled up and taken a couple of years ago.

[Eblana]

We have had a few Strawberry thefts this year as well.  However we don't think who ever is taking them thinks he/she is stealing them as any plot that has had them taken has also been watered by someone.  We suspect that someone is being a good samarthen and watering/harvesting plots for people they believe to be on holidays

[Yana]

My plots are on an open site with public access via a thoroughfare. There are around 100 plots unlikely that plot holders  at one end would recognise plot holders from the other end. This means that thefts are common and on different scales. For example, last year a fellow plot holder had all their raspberries taken (not by birds), my prize pumpkin went and others lost what potatoes they had managed to grow and it has started already this year.
Potatoes, peas, onions are all being stolen and it is difficult to work out when it happens. Strawberries have been going too, but not on such a large scale as other produce.
The association does have a membership card which plot holders are meant to carry, but on occasion I have forgotten mine. We do keep an eye out for each other when we know someone is away, but thefts still happen.
Interestingly, they don't take the courgettes.
My OH reckons that it is only stuff that is easily recognisable, easy to prepare / cook and that most people like. I don't loose Brussel sprouts either TBH. 
I have gotten angry, cried but battle on regardless.

[AnnieB]

As food gets more expensive then it is rather like having plants with money growing on them, in the case of potato's it is like digging up money.

As things get more costly then you will find then the various items are worth more.

I would say that sites with easy access are a fair liability and unfortunatley easy pickings for anyone.