SOUTH SOMERSET NEWS: Veg growers angered at pick-your-own thieves

ALLOTMENT holders in Chard are becoming fed-up after discovering a whole new meaning to the phrase “pick your own” – people are going along during the night and stealing the fruit and vegetables they have grown.

A hidden camera placed at the 170-plot allotment site in Chardstock Lane, on the outskirts of Chard, has caught people red-handed nonchalantly going along and picking their own produce.

A spokesman for the Chard Allotment Holders Association said: “Many of the allotment holders are elderly people so this is just like stealing from pensioners.

“Taking a few runner beans or carrots might not sound much, but when you consider we’ve spent months growing and nurturing this produce – it really does get upsetting when you are arrive at your allotment and find things have been taken.”

PHOTO - RIGHT: Chard Allotments in Chardstock Lane.

VIDEO - ABOVE: Veg thieves caught on video at Chard Allotments.

A video of people going under the cover of darkness armed with torches and shopping bags has been recorded and it shows them picking the produce.

“It really is taking the mick,” said the association spokesman. “They don’t seem to be in any rush stealing our crops – they look as if they are just browsing through the fresh veg aisle at Tesco; almost as if they are allowed to do it and don’t see anything wrong in what they are doing.

“One woman on the video is seen just standing around smoking a fag, while the other is “shopping.” It’s incredible.”

The association has been looking at ways of making the allotments more secure and getting the police and Chard Town Council, who own the allotments, involved.

“A few years ago we were always getting gardening tools nicked from the allotments and the sheds being broken into,” added the association spokesman. “It is only recently where we’ve started having produce stolen – perhaps it is a sign of the times.

“Everyone knows the price of veg these days in the supermarket and how much a bag of carrots costs – but the amount of produce some people are taking from our allotments is a lot more.

“If somebody went into Tesco and walked out with bags of veg without paying they’d be had up for shoplifting – coming in the middle of the night and picking the veg from our allotments is no different in our opinion.”

If anyone has any information about people stealing produce from Chard Alltoments – please phone police on 101 or Crimestoppers on 0800-555111.

PHOTO - ABOVE: Helping themselves to vegetables at Chard Allotments - caught on camera!

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