Stolen Eggs, Farming Tools and Plants: Residents of Kings County are angry about increasing theft in rural areas

Residents of the Gaspereau Valley and Avonport areas are fed up with increasing crimes in the area, ranging from stolen farm equipment and chickens to theft and vandalism at roadside farm stands.

It is concerning that people in the eastern communities of Kings County keep knives and baseball bats on hand to defend themselves and their property. Others have indicated to neighbors that they will not hesitate to use their firearms to defend themselves.

It’s not the kind of thing homeowners probably ever thought they’d be dealing with in the area, especially the scenic stretch of road named after the Gaspereau River that runs alongside it. But it has escalated to the point of extreme frustration, and residents are meeting with the RCMP on Thursday night to discuss their concerns.

John Stuart owns a farm on the Gaspereau River Road and has had a small stall at the bottom of his driveway for 45 years. From there he sells potted and perennial plants, vegetables, fruits and berries, and the occasional dozen eggs, as many farmers and hobby farmers do.

In recent weeks, he’s seen $1,200 worth of product disappear and his cash box pry or rip from the booth. The grandstand was destroyed by people trying to get the money.

“I’ve always had (a class) in some incarnation,” Stuart said.

“I am a farmer. I like working in the fields and when you have a harvest, you have to do something with it.”

This year he had about 3,000 pots of perennial flowers for the stand. The produce should appear in about three weeks as they ripen.

“Until 10 years ago, I had a pot of money,” he said.

“It was always based on the honor system. Money is important, but when people need food, you rarely find a farmer who says no.”

Stuart switched to a lockbox because he had products there all the time, instead of every few days. Five years ago they cost him $1,500 in one week.

“I had eight $28 locks cut off, I had three boxes stocked, and all the money and vegetables are gone.”

He said he didn’t pay too much attention to it.

“It’s no secret, just about every community has one of those families that dances to the beat of another drummer when it comes to theft and morality,” Stuart said.

“It really came to a head about five years ago when I went there and everything was gone, and they had the whole end of the booth ripped off because they couldn’t get the lockbox open. So you know it’s not some local kid.

He said he approached the person he had a good idea was behind the thefts and “suggested it shouldn’t happen again.” And it didn’t.”

But last year the thefts started again.

“Within a week we knew who it was and went to the RCMP, and it really picked up some steam when we got them on video (on another farm booth).”

Stuart said police told him the evidence was still only circumstantial and no charges had been brought.

All neighbors knew who was likely responsible, he said.

“We all know; the address is notorious as a den of thieves within a mile and a half.

Last Thursday Stuart went to the end of the driveway and everything was gone again.

“I had a plastic box of old books for a dollar, they were even gone,” he said.

“Eggs, flowers, herbs, all together there would have been 60 (jars). This was the third time in six weeks. I knew it wasn’t Aunt Lily stealing a plant to pop in her front yard.

He guessed it was more than likely that people would steal to resell themselves.

Later that day, he drove past the infamous house and saw two of his plants near the mailbox.

He then saw about 20 more under the porch and “two very verbal ladies yelling and screaming at me about trespassing and that they were going to call the police.”

There was no need, as Stuart had already done.

RCMP arrived and Stuart got his plants back, along with more that were in cars parked on a nearby street. RCMP charged two people with possession of stolen property.

“This story is miniscule compared to what the real story is, which is that we have an epidemic of rural theft across Canada,” Stuart said.

Mini loaders, welders, tools and even security cameras and the recorder were stolen from nearby farms in recent months. The total value was over $60,000. Other farm uprisings have also been affected and some farmers have given up.

“Eight years ago we had 13 salespeople in the Gaspereau (valley). Now there are only five,” said Stuart.

People are starting to feel uncomfortable in their own homes and communities, he said.

“It’s an epidemic. It is a symptom of what is going on in rural communities.”

He said every chicken shed in the area has an alarm because people even steal birds.

Stuart said he hopes many residents will gather at LE Shaw Elementary School in Avonport on Thursday night to discuss their concerns and experiences with the RCMP. He said he hopes people don’t resort to using the guns they told him they now have on hand.

“The message that I think is important to get out of our meeting is that rural Nova Scotia is starting to feel what has happened in most of the rural parts of Canada, and farmers and others are trying to find a civil response to address this situation. grab. ”

Kings RCMP spokesman Const. Jeff Wilson said the talk of people keeping guns on hand is concerning, and police want residents to call police and get as much descriptive information as possible about suspects and vehicles rather than confront people who are stealing or engaging in other criminal activity on their property.

“(The meeting) is an opportunity for the public to express their concerns,” Wilson said, adding that a senior officer will be present.

“They would then answer community concerns about how the police deal with those kinds of situations and what they can think of to deal with those concerns in the future.”