[Zak the Rabbit]

it doesnt surprise me one bit. Whats the current 'vogue' thing if your poncey? its to have your organic box delivered!

now, most organic box companies are of course good and honest. But lets face it the poncey people in cities who buy these, most dont do it for the fresh veg, but because its the fashion now to be seen to do it. Do they know where it comes from? no. So it doesnt take a criminal mastermind to think up to rob allotments for the produce to sell on.

Lets face it, a couple of well looked after plots will supply a good few boxes! I'd look out for any recent veg boxes being offered locally that are not from known, established companies!

just another symptom of the world we live in now

[senrab_nhoj]

it doesnt surprise me one bit. Whats the current 'vogue' thing if your poncey? its to have your organic box delivered!

now, most organic box companies are of course good and honest. But lets face it the poncey people in cities who buy these, most dont do it for the fresh veg, but because its the fashion now to be seen to do it. Do they know where it comes from? no. So it doesnt take a criminal mastermind to think up to rob allotments for the produce to sell on.

Lets face it, a couple of well looked after plots will supply a good few boxes! I'd look out for any recent veg boxes being offered locally that are not from known, established companies!

just another symptom of the world we live in now

Are you saying that there are people creating a delivery veg box organisation and stocking from potential thefts from allotments....?  seems a tad complicated if you ask me..


And my grandad told me that there has always been stuff nicked from allotments.. its not a new phenomenon, just more widely reported via such media as this

[Zak the Rabbit]

whats complex about it? it cuts out a third of the organisations costs - supply. If your supplied with stolen goods, then you dont pay very much for your stock.

Thats why mobiles phones and things are nicked.

And i didnt say a that they would be supplying a regular order did i? you get a card through the door, it says we can sell you X, you order, get one box, then next week theyve done a bunk, and your local allotments have been cleared out. And it doesnt matter what was being grown, because its all 'seasonal'

Whats a box cost in a trendy, upmarket part of a city? £30? lets say you do 100 boxes, quite easy from what would be in a couple of standard plots, thats £3k for very little outgoing costs.

Dont think crimes dont happen if they take some organising! what matters is the potential profit. Making and selling counterfeit sportsware is very complex, but it happens, because theres money in it! Veg is trendy, so theres money in it!

[FRUITFULL]

I agree with you Zak,when peoples backs are against the wall unfortunatly they will try alsorts.
An allotment is like the veg department of a food store being left open at night but better veg of course!!
I used to walk my dog and kids over the local large market garden farm and eyed up the lovely cauliflowers thinking they wouldnt miss one but stopped myself because it is stealing.
Its so sad that everything has to be locked down these days.We used to leave our back door open,now we lock the shed,garage,side gate.
Still had a lovely tropcal plant stolen from our front garden a while back!

[kopperdrake]

Blimey - organic box buyers are poncy eh...bit of a generalisation. It might suprise you that there are some out there that buy an organic box because they actually believe in giving money for decent food from a local supplier than to scum supermarkets. Not everyone has a decent garden, access to an allotment or the time to go self-sufficient.

Anyway - enough of that Could you club together to get one of these...

http://www.amazon.com/HCO-ScoutGuard-SG550-Infrared-Scouting/dp/B001BWX99K

Stick it somewhere non-visible (the LEDs glow a very dull red at night when they flash), picture or video sat on the card come the morning. Not sure how well it'll stand up come prosecution but at least you'll know who did it.

[Zak the Rabbit]

did i say all organic box buyers were poncey? no, i said the poncey people who buy them. In the same way you would say 'the old people who buy stamps', doesnt read as all people who buy stamps are old!

but it has to be said, its currently the trendy thing to do. And not all buyers of them will do so from a desire for fresh organic veg, as much as from a desire to get one over the neighbours, and how many of those will care where it comes from?

the fact is, produce is being stolen from allotments, not a few carrots and a cauli, enough for dinner, but the entire crop. The only reason anyone would steal that much produce is to sell on

[woodburner]

ooer calm down folks ;P

I think there is a rise but not because of hard times, this kind of theiving is as old as the hills. Allotmenteering had almost disappeared a few years ago, now it's back with many sites being over subscribed even, so plenty of pickings, literally, for the local scum.
Many years ago there was a regular thief at the site I'm on. The allotments were pretty much abandoned, partly due to his activity, but also general lack of interest. Now that they are all taken up again, the thief is back, possibly the same guy even, but there are other more likely candidates in the area, none suffering real financial hardship.

[Mike.white]

It's disappointing, isn't it? All that hard work.. and the fact that you have to wait so damned long to get one in the first place! Sadly, I too think I can see it continuing - sign of the times and all that..

[allstars_princess]

There is a guy at our allotment who is known for taking a walk around at the end of they day and picking things just so they "Don't go over."   Apparently he has always done it.  I only got my plot this year and have had to have several words so far.  The older plot holders all seem to let him get away with it.  :shock:  

I know that we all end up with extra produce but just taking it seems so wrong to me!

To keep out others how about protective planting?  I have trained a very vicious blackberry up the main entrance that backs onto my plot. Probably wont stop anyone determined but will put off a few of the local kids.   I will have to have a think about how to deal with Mr lightfingers though.

[naturesparadise]

There is a guy at our allotment who is known for taking a walk around at the end of they day and picking things just so they "Don't go over."   Apparently he has always done it.  I only got my plot this year and have had to have several words so far.  The older plot holders all seem to let him get away with it.  :shock:  

I know that we all end up with extra produce but just taking it seems so wrong to me!

To keep out others how about protective planting?  I have trained a very vicious blackberry up the main entrance that backs onto my plot. Probably wont stop anyone determined but will put off a few of the local kids.   I will have to have a think about how to deal with Mr lightfingers though.

i agree i dont mined anyone haven some veg from me IF they ask first
we had an old boy like that on my lotty i had

i said to him how would he like it if i went into his garden and picked his flowers

i cant post the reply he gave me  :evil:  :evil:

[senrab_nhoj]

whats complex about it? it cuts out a third of the organisations costs - supply. If your supplied with stolen goods, then you dont pay very much for your stock.

Thats why mobiles phones and things are nicked.

And i didnt say a that they would be supplying a regular order did i? you get a card through the door, it says we can sell you X, you order, get one box, then next week theyve done a bunk, and your local allotments have been cleared out. And it doesnt matter what was being grown, because its all 'seasonal'

Whats a box cost in a trendy, upmarket part of a city? £30? lets say you do 100 boxes, quite easy from what would be in a couple of standard plots, thats £3k for very little outgoing costs.

Dont think crimes dont happen if they take some organising! what matters is the potential profit. Making and selling counterfeit sportsware is very complex, but it happens, because theres money in it! Veg is trendy, so theres money in it!

You sound like you have researched this quite well

If its really being done like this wouldn't some report of it hit some online media? just curious like

[Ice]

When I read Zak's reply I was straight on to ebay for some boxes and a black balaclaver with those cute little eyeholes in.