Author Topic: Fruit thieves  (Read 10579 times)

horseshoe_bayou

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Fruit thieves
« on: September 12, 2015, 05:53:32 PM »
I saw this on my drive home the other day and it got me thinking on the topic of fruit thieves. 

Now I'm just wondering from those who have been victims to fruit thieves of the 2 legged kind: how do you deal with fruit thieves?

I have more front and side yard than backyard, and this will no doubt be an increasing problem for me. fences can't be over 4' tall in front yards and my neighbors mother in law is a notorious fruit thief who will throw her grandkids toys over the fence and then go in my yard with the excuse that she was "retrieving a ball" and for example, help herself to a few of my avocados. lol, I dealt with her BS but now I plant all the "weird" stuff on that side of the house now; all the fruit they won't recognize or fruit that stays green through maturity and you have to know when to pick it etc.

I'm thinking maybe motion sensing sprinklers connected to a miracle grow container that I would fill with dye. lol  >:( ;) :D
Mic

treefrog

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Re: Fruit thieves
« Reply #1 on: September 12, 2015, 07:13:20 PM »
thorns!  plant that side with thorny types.  this variety of variegated pineapple has some vicious thorns!



it grows to nearly four feet tall.   i'll send you a sucker to swap for one of your spanish red (?) type pups. 

i got it from just fruits and exotics.  here's what they say about it.

http://www.justfruitsandexotics.com/JFE/product/variegated-pineapple/

naranjilla has some impressive looking thorns too.
« Last Edit: September 12, 2015, 07:38:40 PM by treefrog »
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Guanabanus

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Re: Fruit thieves
« Reply #2 on: September 12, 2015, 09:01:25 PM »
"Bird Proof", "Tangle-Foot", or similar yuky gunk, spread along the top of fences and walls, discourages fence hoppers, and squirrels and roof rats no longer run along them either;  however, leaves and dust stick, and can get messy looking.
Har

bsbullie

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Re: Fruit thieves
« Reply #3 on: September 13, 2015, 08:06:24 AM »
"Bird Proof", "Tangle-Foot", or similar yuky gunk, spread along the top of fences and walls, discourages fence hoppers, and squirrels and roof rats no longer run along them either;  however, leaves and dust stick, and can get messy looking.

If you luve where there us a HOA, they may make you clean anything like that off your fence so it might not be worth it.  If the streets are public (not gated), the governing municipality may make you clean it also.

You should post no trespassing signs on the gate to your back yard. If you are worried, install some cameras so you can get a good view of the back yard area.
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Mark in Texas

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Re: Fruit thieves
« Reply #4 on: September 13, 2015, 10:05:27 AM »
Pellet gun if in town, 12 ga. loaded with salt if rural.  They get what they deserve.

cfinley

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Re: Fruit thieves
« Reply #5 on: September 13, 2015, 08:41:43 PM »
I feel ya, I have this old mexican lady that lives somewhere in my neighborhood that I've caught more than once stealing all the ripe loquats off our tree which hangs over the fence. It's not even the fact she takes fruit, its that shes like barely 5 feet tall and breaks entire branches off bending them down to get higher fruit!

Maybe try seeing how Cherry Prinsepia does in FL? http://www.oregonlive.com/hg/index.ssf/2009/08/cherry_prinsepia_makes_a_sturd.html. I'm in San Diego and mine seems to be doing ok so far but its a year old seedling. If it does well, I plan to plant several as a natural barrier when we buy our new house. You could also try some fruiting cactus.

I kinda like the idea of removing most of the nails on the section she usually hops over, so the fence comes apart on her when she tries to hop it. Even if she doesn't injure herself, just the shock of that happening might make her think twice... plus now you can confront her about not only stealing your fruit but destruction of your property...

Or just get a big scary dog  ;)

cfinley

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Re: Fruit thieves
« Reply #6 on: September 13, 2015, 08:55:16 PM »
Then again, it is Halloween time and drones aren't that expensive  ;D
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bsbullie

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Re: Fruit thieves
« Reply #7 on: September 13, 2015, 09:22:56 PM »
I dont know about in California but in Florida,  if your tree encroaches onto another property owners property,  they can legally do what they want.   They can pick the fruit, they can even prune it flush to the property line without asking or obtaining your permission.

With all the suggestions,  I highly recommend everyone be weary and alert to any applicable laws, ordinabces and municipal codes.
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echinopora

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Re: Fruit thieves
« Reply #8 on: September 13, 2015, 10:25:28 PM »
I'm sure some ultrahot chili oil strategically painted would be a good deterrent.

Fiddler

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Re: Fruit thieves
« Reply #9 on: September 14, 2015, 04:41:58 AM »
Have you ever noticed that the worst fruit thieves tend to be third-world immigrants? At least that's the way it seems in my part of Florida. What is it about the concept of Private Property they don't understand? Maybe it's just a white people thing?
     A few years ago I pulled into my driveway and got quite a shock. All three of my citrus trees were totally stripped, 75 fruit in all. I eventually found out an old Korean immigrant did it. I confronted him and told him I would have happily given him some if he would have asked. Why did he take them all? He had no satisfactory answer.

From the sea

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Re: Fruit thieves
« Reply #10 on: September 14, 2015, 08:54:38 AM »
Down here the people who steel the most fruit are the neighborhood drunk bums. Also plenty of white folks don't believe in private property.

Bob407

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Re: Fruit thieves
« Reply #11 on: September 14, 2015, 09:15:49 AM »
In Vieques people gladly let you have their fruit. On my first trip here I offered to buy some mangoes from someone and was met with an expression of confusion. Twenty minutes later I walked away with a 35lb bag of mangoes, numerous cashew apples and a few squamosas. I was also told that I could come by any time and get some more. Everyone I have asked for fruit has been very generous and informative. This was never my experience with random strangers in the states.

I don't care for the term "third world" it is antiquated.
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Tropheus76

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Re: Fruit thieves
« Reply #12 on: September 14, 2015, 11:36:02 AM »
In some places fruit is easy to grow. In others we have to spend a good deal of time and money zone pushing , fertilizing and babying trees to get them to produce and do not appreciate our hard earned work and effort getting stolen by some uninvited Joe from the street. Not to mention we tend to believe in the concept of personal and private property and usually make great efforts to maintain it. Different cultures I guess. In my neighborhood we have a hard time keeping the saw palmetto palm berry pickers from coming onto fenced in property to take berries. True I have no use for them, but at least ask permission before jumping the fence, I prefer not to have to deal with the police and animal control about my rottie taking a bite out of them. Not to mention liability issues of people getting injured on your property.

SWRancher

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Re: Fruit thieves
« Reply #13 on: September 14, 2015, 03:00:25 PM »
In Vieques people gladly let you have their fruit. On my first trip here I offered to buy some mangoes from someone and was met with an expression of confusion. Twenty minutes later I walked away with a 35lb bag of mangoes, numerous cashew apples and a few squamosas. I was also told that I could come by any time and get some more. Everyone I have asked for fruit has been very generous and informative. This was never my experience with random strangers in the states.

I don't care for the term "third world" it is antiquated.

Curious...what term for "third world" do you prefer? 

TheDom

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Re: Fruit thieves
« Reply #14 on: September 14, 2015, 03:25:11 PM »
In Vieques people gladly let you have their fruit. On my first trip here I offered to buy some mangoes from someone and was met with an expression of confusion. Twenty minutes later I walked away with a 35lb bag of mangoes, numerous cashew apples and a few squamosas. I was also told that I could come by any time and get some more. Everyone I have asked for fruit has been very generous and informative. This was never my experience with random strangers in the states.

I don't care for the term "third world" it is antiquated.

Curious...what term for "third world" do you prefer?

This is all pretty OT, but personally I think "developing nations" is a more accurate term in most cases.

The term "third world" initially referred to countries who were neither allied with the US (first world) or Soviet Union (second world) during the cold war. I agree that it is antiquated. By that definition Ireland, Finland and Sweeden are technically third world countries, but don't fit the most common use of the term.
Dom

geosulcata

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Re: Fruit thieves
« Reply #15 on: September 14, 2015, 09:42:44 PM »
Have you ever noticed that the worst fruit thieves tend to be third-world immigrants? At least that's the way it seems in my part of Florida. What is it about the concept of Private Property they don't understand? Maybe it's just a white people thing?
     A few years ago I pulled into my driveway and got quite a shock. All three of my citrus trees were totally stripped, 75 fruit in all. I eventually found out an old Korean immigrant did it. I confronted him and told him I would have happily given him some if he would have asked. Why did he take them all? He had no satisfactory answer.

When we lived in Ecuador, teen children would break off fence boards to steal our citrus...then they would knock at the gate and ask for salt to go with it. When confronted, they said they assumed we didn't want the fruit because it was ripe on the tree and they weren't sure if Americans ate fruit. After our talk, they would knock on the gate and offer to buy fruit for 25 cents (with a dash of salt), but it was no longer a daily occurrence. Here in FL, we had some people from Jamaica stop by and ask what we planned to do with our bananas. They were surprised to hear that we planned to eat them and felt okay to leave once they were assured that the bananas would not go to waste. Very strange to me.
« Last Edit: September 15, 2015, 07:26:03 AM by geosulcata »

sapote

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Re: Fruit thieves
« Reply #16 on: September 14, 2015, 09:56:17 PM »
Have you ever noticed that the worst fruit thieves tend to be third-world immigrants? At least that's the way it seems in my part of Florida. What is it about the concept of Private Property they don't understand? Maybe it's just a white people thing?
     A few years ago I pulled into my driveway and got quite a shock. All three of my citrus trees were totally stripped, 75 fruit in all. I eventually found out an old Korean immigrant did it. I confronted him and told him I would have happily given him some if he would have asked. Why did he take them all? He had no satisfactory answer.

If he was not a crazy man, then I would think his reason to take all the fruits was someone told him that most Americans didn't eat the fruits in their house -- ornamental purpose only.

Mad like hell too

Sapote

Pan Dulce

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Re: Fruit thieves
« Reply #17 on: September 15, 2015, 08:37:27 PM »
Developing country.

fyliu

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Re: Fruit thieves
« Reply #18 on: September 15, 2015, 09:29:40 PM »
I also think Americans hardly use any of their lemons and limes.
Vietnamese and maybe Mexicans will use all of theirs.

I tried asking a neighborhood Mexican household for a few loquats to sample and they got really spooked. Maybe the old woman doesn't speak English and thought a stranger will do her harm. It's a little hard to make friends across cultures.

My next door neighbor actually doesn't eat their lemons and told me to take them. I wish they'd trim the large plumeria shading out my mango though.

sapote

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Re: Fruit thieves
« Reply #19 on: September 15, 2015, 10:19:40 PM »
" I wish they'd trim the large plumeria shading out my mango though. "

Fyliu, I have never seen a 7ft or higher plumeria in Orange or Los Angeles County. How tall is this one? color or any photos?

Sapote


Mark in Texas

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Re: Fruit thieves
« Reply #20 on: September 15, 2015, 10:44:07 PM »
If illegal aliens flip the bird at the sanctity of our borders, why would anyone think they'd think twice about crossing into someone's property and stealing what doesn't belong to them?

Tropicaliste

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Re: Fruit thieves
« Reply #21 on: September 15, 2015, 11:50:56 PM »
This isn't apart of Filipino culture. If the tree is out in the open, say in the forest or park, you can pick it's fruit. If it's on someone's land, even if that property is not used, it's a no no. Only children get away with this, and even then their parents will hear about it, or they will be the source of gossip ... simply asking the owner usually ends up in free fruit, because it would be rude to be so unkind ... but outright stealing is thought to bring bad luck and shame.

Some folks, regardless of origin have no manners. It probably has less to do with where they come from, and more to do with who they've decided to emulate here in the U.S.

fyliu

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Re: Fruit thieves
« Reply #22 on: September 16, 2015, 12:17:34 AM »
" I wish they'd trim the large plumeria shading out my mango though. "

Fyliu, I have never seen a 7ft or higher plumeria in Orange or Los Angeles County. How tall is this one? color or any photos?

Sapote
It's maybe 9-10 ft and very healthy. The most common kind with yellow-white flowers. My dad cut it back to the short dividing wall during the winter and I gave those cuttings away to friends. Hopefully it will stay like this.

Mark in Texas

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Re: Fruit thieves
« Reply #23 on: September 16, 2015, 09:03:47 AM »
Doesn't surprise.  They make small trees in Hawaii, 20' tall.

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Re: Fruit thieves
« Reply #24 on: September 17, 2015, 05:02:07 PM »
i have a 4 footed thief.

i got a very sweet dog from the rescue center a few months ago
she is small, and i guess she feels like she has to chase and/or catch something to be part of the team
so, she chases lizards... and i have a LOT of them.
she often chases them up my mutingia tree, where they escape
but, she scratches the trunk with her toenails.
She will stand o her hind legs and poke her nose up into the tree.

Since i am vegan, my dog samples a lot of fruit...
Papaya, blueberries, mango, mutingia...
now, she sees the ripe fruits fallen at the bottom of the tree
and even sees low-hanging fruit, which she picks and eats.
I wish i had video of it, but, i only saw her do it twice, not a lot of low-hanging fruit.

On another note...
my contractor and girlfriend are  Spanish. Born in Tx, but near the Mexico border
He often comes to my house, and will pick a guava from my tree without asking.
i think it is just normal for them.
They always share what they have , even if they are broke.
They  bring me back "tunas" (opuntia fruit)
 from Mexico when they go.

He even comes in my house without knocking on the door.
I see that in  movies sometimes, but, you dont do that here (New Orleans)
you will get shot.
i had to drill it into him not to do it anymore.