The Tropical Fruit Forum
Tropical Fruit => Tropical Fruit Discussion => Topic started by: Tropheus76 on August 07, 2018, 07:12:33 PM
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So I am deployed and just got an email from the wife. She came home to some jackass in the yard with three baskets of fruit from my various trees, likely mostly citrus and gauva I think, and some baskets of palmetto berries. Had the nerve to tell her "Just fruit, no big deal." She filed a police report not that they will do much. I dont care what 3rd world sh!thole country this a-hole is from, theft of fruit is theft. I have no tresspassing signs and a high palmetto hedgerow so he had to go out of his way to get in the yard. Aside from cameras and signs, I am going to have my rottie outside more often when I get home, but how else do you keep these marauding monsters off your property especially if not home? Makes the situation worse when you bring the berry pickers up on the neighborhood facebook page and a good chunk of the bleeding hearts want to defend them "oh they are just trying to make a living..."
Wife filed a police report but being out in the edge of the county with the worst, most useless excuse for a sheriff in the state, Demmings(who is running for Orange county mayor BTW) means that my area cant even get patrol car coverage for stolen cars, I doubt they will do anything for the fruit thieves.
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Stand your ground law? Wife felt threatened...
OK just kidding ;)
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My place is a nursery grove theft is a felony .
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Add a picture of a Glock or a 12 gauge to your signs.
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Get video, license plate #1 and file an affidavit for trespass & simple theft. Make sure the guy is issued a trespass warning so he's subject to arrest. If the property is already legally posted no warning is necessary.
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You guys should see the hi-tech perimeter cameras guarding the fence lines at John Painters mango farm on Pine Island. Better camera system than the White House. Just about every place on Pine Island than grows/sells fruit has cameras there.
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That's the nightmare I'm trying to avoid. Unfortunately I have no choice but to plant my Jackfruit tree at the front of the house, we all know how much money you can get out of per jack fruit. My neighborhood has a lot of immigrant from the Caribbean as well so they know what Jackfruit is.
I have a security came on my way from Amazon so I can test it out. You might look into it:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07G2YR23M/ref=s9_acsd_newrz_hd_bw_b3liK_c_x_w?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=merchandised-search-6&pf_rd_r=85GNW83P4HB3ZN5Q3GNP&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=a0b9dfb8-2f32-56db-9659-d4835d5ffae1&pf_rd_i=898400 (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07G2YR23M/ref=s9_acsd_newrz_hd_bw_b3liK_c_x_w?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=merchandised-search-6&pf_rd_r=85GNW83P4HB3ZN5Q3GNP&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=a0b9dfb8-2f32-56db-9659-d4835d5ffae1&pf_rd_i=898400)
There is a way to use this outdoor, but require USB for power. It's very cheap and have two way speaker. I believe if it detect motion, you (your wife) will get notification on the phone and you can yell at the intruder like a walky talky. There are tons of video in youtube to review this camera. The camera has night vision as well.
I wish it would be not illegal to put bear trap in your property and hide with leaves and leaves a sign that warn people and if they step on the trap, they learn it the hard way for ignoring warning. But we live in a civilized world...... Good luck!
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it's theft and trespassing.....next time take a picture or even better video him in the act....then press charges
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I've had problems with people stealing my Cac mango this year.
After researching a lot of cameras, I'm going to get a Nest outdoor camera.
It's on the expensive side but it has people detection alert, I would get too many false alarms with simple motion detection with trees swaying in the wind.
Its crazy the stuff we have to go through to protect our preciouses.
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That has to be frustrating. I can accept someone snagging a passion fruit or mango hanging over the fence, but coming up in the yard and confronting the wife is provocative.
Need a robot or drone that is motion activated. Like the Ring doorbell, but mobile. Thinking about one that not only detours fruit thieves and others with mal intent, but also rogue dog walkers fouling up the yard.
Wishing you and your family the best while you are deployed. Get home safe!
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It's a problem everywhere and not at all easy to deal with.
What i suggest to you and others is to put most valuable trees close to your houses. Have a hedge hiding your trees if possible. If not, put the least valuable trees on the perimeter. Fencing is crucial. Use trail cameras or surveillance camera if possible. If you like taking care of dobermans, that could help also.
I've been dealing with ag theft for many years. Finally caught the thief taking big haul. Got his photo in the act, photo of stolen durians (= big bucks), photo of car (stolen car BTW), photo of license plate, several witnesses (ground crews) saw him stealing. No he's not an immigrant. Just a poor local with no education and long criminal record. Still no action from the police. They told me it could take up to 2 years for the guy (record of 10 arrests) to stand trial for this theft. Good news is thief later hits his gf in the head with a sickle and ends up in prison for that. Police much more likely to do something about assault, or even theft of liquor store.
Police here pretend to give importance to ag theft, even classify it as a felony if proven over $100 is stolen. But in fact do diddly squat. Ag theft has in fact lowest priority. Maybe if they didn't have a police shooting on the same month, for which they send 95% of the police force to constantly attend to?
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Oscar if I had that problem, I would be rigging up some trip wires that go boom.
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I am planning on an electric fence. It will help to keep 2, 3 and 4 legged creatures out. All one legged and 5+ legged creatures are welcome :)
Reminds me of this joke https://youtu.be/nHcGLyrH4h4 (https://youtu.be/nHcGLyrH4h4)
Crap, most of my mangos are fiberless, now I have to worry about the guys with one tooth too.
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Oscar if I had that problem, I would be rigging up some trip wires that go boom.
The police here would be a whole lot faster in sending me to prison for doing that than sending the pain in the butt thief stealing from me for 10 years to prison!
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A friend of mine had his plumeria completely chopped off and carried away by thief. My cousin's friends had a whole bunch of "Vietnamese" banana stolen before they could even harvest it. My cousin and friend both live in Fountain Valley, CA.
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We lost our big Valencia Pride last year in the Hurricane, the only tree that had mangoes this year was our Pickering, had about 12 mangoes on it. one day, they were all gone. so no home grown fruit in Hollywood this year.
what gets me is this tree is not in front or in back of the house, its located along side, so they had to cross the front lawn, cross a small gate, to get these.
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Many years ago at a younger age I was subjected to constant thievery both agricultural and house burglary, it became a semi-annual thing. The thing that thieves don't realize is that eventually frustration anger and fear builds up in the victim. Finally I came round the mango tree face to face with a thief. I beat him pretty good with a bean pole all the way to a fence which he got cut up on beating him all the way.
The next one was worse I had a machete but couldn't bring myself to swing it, just a foot chase for 1/4 mile down the beach and a rendezvous with the cops who had been called by my wife.
Next one was a thief coming over my neighbor's fence with a bag of fruit, with me following him on a bike with the truck for 3 miles all the way to town yelling and honking. That one ended up throwing the bag in a dumpster, and me having a long talk with his family.
I moved stateside far out in the country, never even locked the door and had no problems.
So, I've been there and hope now that 30 years have passed I have more temperance. I do keep a small caliber rifle close for varmints and know how to use it..... :o
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I have another suggestion that you may try, but this really depends on the kind of fruit get stolen. Put a sign that say "A few of these fruits have been injected with rat poison, eat at your own risk. Only the home owner know which are not poisoned. If you want fruit, come ask nicely". You may just make a few friends in the neighborhood so they won't steal instead of ask in the future.
I don't think any thief would want to play Russian roulette over fruit.
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These arent neighborhood people. We are in a more country part of the county an minimum lot size is 2 acres with a lot of wooded lots. Cant even see my neighbors 100+ yards away on either side. We try to look after each other but obviously that ability is limited. The people who steal stuff are immigrants who park at the end of the street and crawl through the saw palmetto every year picking berries. This is the first anyone in the nieghborhood has heard of them sneaking further on the property and stealing real fruit. Hopefully it will lead to more calls to the police although with Demmings in power that wont matter.
Then to make things worse, my wife had a severe migrane and a super high blood pressure level and had to go to the ER this morning and as her and her mom left the yard, someone had went through the the trash. She now has a .38 at the door and shotgun by the bed.
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I think the main thing is you have to tell the police you want to press charges...tell them you fear for your safety....that way there is a record of this happening. If police don't do anything and something does happen. A good lawyer might be able to get you enough from the city to buy you a more private farm :).
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So I am deployed and just got an email from the wife. She came home to some jackass in the yard with three baskets of fruit from my various trees, likely mostly citrus and gauva I think, and some baskets of palmetto berries.
I just became aware that picking palmetto without written permission by the property owner and a permit from the State is illegal and sheriffs are making arrests. Picking on your own property you still need the permit.
https://gladescountydemocrat.com/human-interest/saw-palmetto-berry-harvest-now-requires-state-permit/ (https://gladescountydemocrat.com/human-interest/saw-palmetto-berry-harvest-now-requires-state-permit/)
https://www.freshfromflorida.com/Divisions-Offices/Plant-Industry/Business-Services/Plant-Pest-Permits/Native-Plant-Harvesting-Permit (https://www.freshfromflorida.com/Divisions-Offices/Plant-Industry/Business-Services/Plant-Pest-Permits/Native-Plant-Harvesting-Permit)
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Awesome, thanks for the info. Ill be posting this on my neighborhood page and to my wife. Doubt the sheriffs will do anything but maybe the other number will.
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Move a little further to the east in Brevard county. Sheriff Wayne Ivey don’t play........ he’s been getting national attention for taking all crime serious.
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Demmings is the exact opposite. He purposely has held back on hiring new officers to show how much money he is saving. Major opponent to 2A rights unlike most sheriffs. Currently all his time is taken up running to be the new mayor. He already knows my area despises him and doesnt care enough to send deputies to our area.
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So I am deployed and just got an email from the wife. She came home to some jackass in the yard with three baskets of fruit from my various trees, likely mostly citrus and gauva I think, and some baskets of palmetto berries. Had the nerve to tell her "Just fruit, no big deal." She filed a police report not that they will do much. I dont care what 3rd world sh!thole country this a-hole is from, theft of fruit is theft. I have no tresspassing signs and a high palmetto hedgerow so he had to go out of his way to get in the yard. Aside from cameras and signs, I am going to have my rottie outside more often when I get home, but how else do you keep these marauding monsters off your property especially if not home? Makes the situation worse when you bring the berry pickers up on the neighborhood facebook page and a good chunk of the bleeding hearts want to defend them "oh they are just trying to make a living..."
Wife filed a police report but being out in the edge of the county with the worst, most useless excuse for a sheriff in the state, Demmings(who is running for Orange county mayor BTW) means that my area cant even get patrol car coverage for stolen cars, I doubt they will do anything for the fruit thieves.
Push it, I'm serious. Set an example. It is now punishable by jail time to steal Saw Palmetto berries, new law just came out.
"IF YOU ARE HAVING PROBLEMS WITH TRESPASSERS HARVESTING SAW PALMETTO BERRIES, PLEASE CONTACT YOUR LOCAL SHERIFF’S OFFICE OR CALL THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND CONSUMER SERVICES AT 1-800-342-5869."
https://www.freshfromflorida.com/es/Divisions-Offices/Plant-Industry/Business-Services/Plant-Pest-Permits/Native-Plant-Harvesting-Permit/Saw-Palmetto-Berry-Harvesting (https://www.freshfromflorida.com/es/Divisions-Offices/Plant-Industry/Business-Services/Plant-Pest-Permits/Native-Plant-Harvesting-Permit/Saw-Palmetto-Berry-Harvesting)
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Demmings is the exact opposite. He purposely has held back on hiring new officers to show how much money he is saving. Major opponent to 2A rights unlike most sheriffs. Currently all his time is taken up running to be the new mayor. He already knows my area despises him and doesnt care enough to send deputies to our area.
I posted above before I saw PineIsland's post. Call the AG department, I left the number above. Threaten to call the papers or TV stations if the Sheriff doesn't get off his ass.
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Say Tropheus, was your wife at least able to recover the fruit he'd already picked, or did he escape with it?
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I caught my thief. Ate both my juicy peach before they were ripe.
(https://s22.postimg.cc/cxmtjn765/8_CC560_FD-50_A8-4_C53-_A667-78_BD50_D61968.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/image/cxmtjn765/)
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Laws are only good if they are truly enforced. In order to have enforcement you need enough officers and willingness to carry through. Usually the police departments and prosecutors office will focus on what they consider more "important" crimes.
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Laws are only good if they are truly enforced. In order to have enforcement you need enough officers and willingness to carry through. Usually the police departments and prosecutors office will focus on what they consider more "important" crimes.
Agreed, but the squeaky wheel.... You can be polite but persistent.
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He left with it all. She was in no condition to argue with a severe migrane and she was scared this guy was on the property in the first place.
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Laws are only good if they are truly enforced. In order to have enforcement you need enough officers and willingness to carry through. Usually the police departments and prosecutors office will focus on what they consider more "important" crimes.
Agreed, but the squeaky wheel.... You can be polite but persistent.
I've done exactly that: polite but persistent. I was communicating with the prosecutor quite often by email. I'm sure he got quite tired of it, and asked me also politely to be "patient". I dropped it when i found out from prosecutor that thief is in the slammer for another unrelated crime. Just happy to have thief out of the way. And assault is treated much more seriously than ag theft.
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One blast of a shotgun over their heads does the job
Birdshot sounds as bad as buckshot but won’t damage anything where the pellets fall
Plus if they turn you in you can have them trespassed as they have to admit they were on your land
If they steal what is next
Get a game camera which are cheap and film the trespassing
Price the stolen fruit at felony levels when you turn them in.
Might want to call the ag department and turn it in to them as they are more responsive to ag problems
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When I get back in country I plan on calling the sheriff and the ag deptartment every time I see them in the neighborhood. Problem is they come during the day when people are away working. It was a fluke my wife was home with a migrane that she saw them in the first place.
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When I get back in country I plan on calling the sheriff and the ag deptartment every time I see them in the neighborhood. Problem is they come during the day when people are away working. It was a fluke my wife was home with a migrane that she saw them in the first place.
Take out a digital camera and start taking photos and taping them. Crooks hate to be caught on camera plus you have something to show the Sheriff. Or take out yr smart phone and do the same
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One blast of a shotgun over their heads does the job
Birdshot sounds as bad as buckshot but won’t damage anything where the pellets fall
Plus if they turn you in you can have them trespassed as they have to admit they were on your land
If they steal what is next
Get a game camera which are cheap and film the trespassing
Price the stolen fruit at felony levels when you turn them in.
Might want to call the ag department and turn it in to them as they are more responsive to ag problems
Problem is that the orchard where the thefts occured are one hour drive from where i live. And no house close to the orchard. So guns are out. Ag department will not get involved in thefts or do anything here.
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Damn sounds pretty lawless.
Next time you catch that mutherfueker, bring your gun out and if he says, "Just fruit" you tell him "just gun and bullet in your head"
All kidding aside, i would have video taped him stealing all of it and then carrying those fruit baskets back to his car also capturing his license plate. He won't hold up in a court of law.
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Damn sounds pretty lawless.
Next time you catch that mutherfueker, bring your gun out and if he says, "Just fruit" you tell him "just gun and bullet in your head"
All kidding aside, i would have video taped him stealing all of it and then carrying those fruit baskets back to his car also capturing his license plate. He won't hold up in a court of law.
Better yet, have several eyewitnesses that saw him with the stolen fruits! They are the ones that took the photos. Only big mistake is that they didn't call the cops right away.