Mango Thief Caught

[FruitFool]

I see bit of yellow on one fruit. Might ripen.

Fruitfool

[Eggo]

I been on both sides. I don't think there's an excuse for an adult to act that way. But as a small kid, me and the rest of the refugee kids in the neighborhood, maybe over half a dozen of us would roam the city and raid fruit trees and parks. And get chase off by the owners. I look back at those days now and totally feel bad doing that to any fruit tree owners. As a kid back then we were by no means starving but boy were we hungry all the time. Our parents did not have much money or food.  There were things we ate that i look back at now and can't believe no one ever poison themselves. Landscaping trees like the natal plums and the Eugenia trees with its fruits and leaves. I remember them tasting so good as a kid, had them now not so much,lol. Ate sorrel clovers before i know anything about them. Even ate those green spiky maple fruits.

As an adult, I like to share fruits and veggies. I had people stole fruits from me which for the most part I don't mind as long as they don't tresspass onto my property. An example, is a large avocado I have it's so large the limbs crossover and has massive amount of fruits. I don't mind anyone picking any fruits that crosses over my fence and I purposely left it that way. Anything anyone can reach is fine with me. Sometimes, I startle any passers by when they are picking and did not notice I'm right there. I say to them feel free to pick anything u could reach just don't tresspass onto the property.  Over the last few years unfortunately I had several adults who jump over onto my property and even one occasion when someone brought a truck and ladder and started loading up on buckets of fruits till my neighbor stop them. That was not the main reason but was one of the reasons I've since cut this 40ft tree or so down to 7ft.

[rdm]

they do that here in Hawaii a lot. they drive around in a pickup truck with buckets fulls of stolen fruit, they pull up to peoples houses that have trees near the road and use long mango poles made of bamboo laced together to reach over the fences onto the property and pick the mangos off the tree. and if you confront them they threaten you and then speed off.

[Eggo]

Unfortunately, fruit thievery is becoming more and more prevalent in socal also. I have had several friends who had their trees completely stripped of fruits.  One in a very nice coastal Orange County community removed his avocado completley as every year thieves would strip the entire tree of fruits.  I think most most of us fruit growers love to share fruits but having trees strip and stolen would be disheartening.

[pagnr]

There is a big leap from grabbing a few fruit to eat or grow seed, to ripping off trees full of fruit to sell.
Most often I will ask first, and rarely get knocked back. If a tree looks neglected or fruit falling unpicked, I may not ask first.
I must admit to collecting a fair few seed in this way, so find it hard to get too mad when people do the same to me.

[hipasfolk]

It feels like people use the what if scenario to villainize people growing their own food who express frustration with theft (see it all the time on IG/FB). Most of us are not so unkind we would not be willing to share with anyone, especially not someone who is in need.

It's the entitlement from everyone else that irritates me most. Even if they're just helping themselves to a handful it's the fact that they didn't ask and get aggressive when confronted shows they know they're in the wrong.

[CarolinaZone]

Hmmm. Fruit thievery victim and former fruit thief here. When I was a kid (not starving at all) to me it was a plum tree. It was an apple tree. It was grapes. It was not property. I had no concept that someone worked to create it. If it was in someones yard it was luck that someone had it there so it was my luck to pick some fruit.

I am sure there are people who see it that way who are adults. People love to go into someone else's pockets to pay for what they themselves would never pay for.

"What's the big deal? It's just grapes! It's just a tomato! You got plenty!"

I had this conversation with a neighbor who dared call my garden/orchard the community garden and invited someone into my yard to pick. She just couldn't get her head wrapped around the concept that "I made the effort for me". I planted the grapes and tomatoes and everything else and the abundance is mine. She watched me till and cultivate and never offered to help. Not a shovel of manure or drop of water did she pay for. She refused to plant the blueberry bushes or tomato plants  that I gave her. When I tried to explain to her that just because I had plenty she wasn't entitled to take it. I said to her,"Well you have gas in your car. Can I come by and siphon some out to run my tiller if I need it when you have a full tank?" Her reply, "That's different!"

BTW. There is no way if you confront someone with a gun or anything else you are not going to win, even if it is just anger. If there is no fence, wall, barrier, they will come.

[hipasfolk]

I was also a little fruit thief except I'd reach around the chain link fence at the commercial growers and eat a few strawberries or grab an orange but I'd never dream of going into someone's home garden. Not that that was okay but I guess even as a kid I knew it was wrong to a degree and it's easier to rationalize when there's miles and miles of the fruit that one or two was alright.

It amazes me how disconnected people are that this would not be common sense. It's sad that you have to explain to people why it's not okay. Especially neighbors who are well aware my yard lot started as nothing. It's not as if any of this was here by chance. They've seen me sweating in hundred degree heat prepping the yard, weeding, mulching, digging, caring for everything. If someone called this the community garden I'd lose it 😂

It's tiring having to break it down for people. You work to get cash to put food on your table. I work to grow food to put food on my table. You stealing my food would be the same as me robbing you of your paycheck. Guess they didn't read The Little Red Hen as a kid.

[Galatians522]

Guess they didn't read The Little Red Hen as a kid.

 😂

[CarolinaZone]

Guess they didn't read The Little Red Hen as a kid.

 😂

Oh, they read it. They read it. To one group it is a story about hard work and the rewards of it. To another group it is an instruction manual on how to wait. I'll wait until this chicken makes a crop of grain and fattens up. Then I will steal the grain, kill the chicken and make chicken sandwiches! They don't think far enough ahead to know that they will starve from laziness and or incomptence the next year.

[spaugh]

Hmmm. Fruit thievery victim and former fruit thief here. When I was a kid (not starving at all) to me it was a plum tree. It was an apple tree. It was grapes. It was not property. I had no concept that someone worked to create it. If it was in someones yard it was luck that someone had it there so it was my luck to pick some fruit.

I am sure there are people who see it that way who are adults. People love to go into someone else's pockets to pay for what they themselves would never pay for.

"What's the big deal? It's just grapes! It's just a tomato! You got plenty!"

I had this conversation with a neighbor who dared call my garden/orchard the community garden and invited someone into my yard to pick. She just couldn't get her head wrapped around the concept that "I made the effort for me". I planted the grapes and tomatoes and everything else and the abundance is mine. She watched me till and cultivate and never offered to help. Not a shovel of manure or drop of water did she pay for. She refused to plant the blueberry bushes or tomato plants  that I gave her. When I tried to explain to her that just because I had plenty she wasn't entitled to take it. I said to her,"Well you have gas in your car. Can I come by and siphon some out to run my tiller if I need it when you have a full tank?" Her reply, "That's different!"

BTW. There is no way if you confront someone with a gun or anything else you are not going to win, even if it is just anger. If there is no fence, wall, barrier, they will come.

Theres a lot of people out there that feel entitled to the fruits of others hard labor.  Not surprising.  They probably have never done much actual physical labor.

I share with my good neighbors.  They are always willing to help me lift something heavy or cut some wood for me or whatever so I take them avocados and eggs or whatever else we have.  The lazy bum neighbors get nothing. 

[Calusa]

Preventing people from stealing fruit off my trees is pretty simple for me. I always plant them in the back yard inside a 6' fence. If my trees were out in front by the road I would rightfully expect that some people would come by and help themselves. Same as if I always left the keys in my truck, it would soon be gone.

[Oolie]

Preventing people from stealing fruit off my trees is pretty simple for me. I always plant them in the back yard inside a 6' fence. If my trees were out in front by the road I would rightfully expect that some people would come by and help themselves. Same as if I always left the keys in my truck, it would soon be gone.

That might be a south Florida thing, I don't see that happening everywhere.

[hipasfolk]

It'd be nice to keep all my trees in my fenced backyard but almost 1/3rd of my lot is front yardage. I'd have to cut my tree collection down by over a dozen if I took everything out front away.

I wish I had neighbors that gardened instead of a bunch of nosey nellies who hate me 😂 first they were mad about the messy look of the permaculture style I was trying. Then they were mad that I fenced the yard. Then they were mad about the fruit trees. No HOA so they can't do anything about it other than complain about me to eachother. I'd be happy to share but no appreciation around here.

[foresight]

Put up a prominent sign that reads 'Pesticides In Use' or something of the like. Even better if you have a sprayer and some bags lying nearby.

[Epicatt2]

Put up a prominent sign that reads 'Pesticides In Use' or something of the like. [snip]

How about a big notice that reads:  SNAKE SANCTUARY

Just sayin' . . .

Paul M.
==

[Julie]

Put up a prominent sign that reads 'Pesticides In Use' or something of the like. [snip]

How about a big notice that reads:  SNAKE SANCTUARY

Just sayin' . . .

Paul M.
==

great idea LOL

[drymifolia]

Well, we heard from Karl Marx earlier in this thread

He may have been the one to popularize the quote, but it predated him by a good bit. But yes, it's meant to encapsulate the philosophy of collectivism. But I agree that there's a big difference between someone who's food insecure eating a couple fruit and some entitled jerk who thinks its his God-given right to take the (literal) fruits of someone else's labor. And anyone who takes it to the next level of stripping trees to sell the fruit should get a little vigilante justice coming their way.

[Fygee]

It’s amazing how some folks have the COJONES to walk onto private property and start picking fruit !

exactly, I have seen no better reason for the second amendment until now. Set up deer cams

You seriously wouldn't consider shooting people who pick fruit from your trees, would you? Especially a child? Is that what we've come to?

Anyways, kids are kids. They don't understand the work and effort involved, nor the concept of private property for a tree that's out in the open for someone's front yard. They're teachable moments for when you catch them.

Parents taking their kids to pick the fruit though on someone's property? That's just wrong. They should know better, and I'd threaten them with trespassing personally (while directing my ire at the adult, and not the child because they don't deserve that).

[Orkine]

I quite honestly don't think anyone who loves and grows mangos will ever shoot a kid picking mango.  .... unless it is with a camera.

[SHV]

Anyway, I started blasting.
I think comments about pulling a gun on fruit thieves is just tough talk.  We tend to get a little overly enthusiastic when flexing our bear arms in America

[K-Rimes]

Anyway, I started blasting.
We tend to get a little overly enthusiastic when flexing our bear arms in America

Crazy when I read about people suggesting shooting someone over what amounts to $10, I guess that's the value of someone's life these days?

Stealing CA grown mangoes is certainly a travesty with how hard it is to grow them here... But at the same time, I kind of understand. Today's current reality is that very few people get to experience picking fruit right off the tree, maybe something they used to do in their home country where mango trees tower 50' tall and end up dropping thousands of pounds that end up rotting away. I couldn't believe the size of mango trees in El Salvador, they made even FL ones look small.

If I really had a yard to protect, I'd have a large fence / privacy hedge with a few choice trees on the outside for public consumption. I love when I get to share fruit, even with a stranger.

[CarolinaZone]

Anyway, I started blasting.
We tend to get a little overly enthusiastic when flexing our bear arms in America

Crazy when I read about people suggesting shooting someone over what amounts to $10, I guess that's the value of someone's life these days?

Stealing CA grown mangoes is certainly a travesty with how hard it is to grow them here... But at the same time, I kind of understand. Today's current reality is that very few people get to experience picking fruit right off the tree, maybe something they used to do in their home country where mango trees tower 50' tall and end up dropping thousands of pounds that end up rotting away. I couldn't believe the size of mango trees in El Salvador, they made even FL ones look small.

If I really had a yard to protect, I'd have a large fence / privacy hedge with a few choice trees on the outside for public consumption. I love when I get to share fruit, even with a stranger.

I one hundred percent agree...if it is on my terms. If I give it to them, it is a gift. If they take it is is a theft. Kids are kids for sure but I mean where does it end? Dave takes $10 worth, Carl takes $5 worth, Christy takes $40 for her "family", Dale takes a $1 worth. Old Carolina get none or just worst left behind. Other folks calling me stingy for my effort. "It's just some damn fruit!" Until..."it's just a damn pair of shoes, it's just a damn steak, it's just a damn basket of groceries, it's just little car." An old guy like me knows. There are limits and at some point Thieves are not different from bullies.

[roblack]

Gifted the water meter guy a freshly cut rollinia today. Could tell he was excited to try it. Realized that it's not only the stealing of the fruit that bothers me, but even more so the theft of the opportunity to share.

Feedback is important too. Really enjoy hearing about people's opinions of fruits they've never tried. You just don't get that sort of info from thieves.

[Epicatt2]

Yet another perspective:

There are those who might shoot a fruit thief, but not to kill.

A shotgun loaded with rock-salt could be a memorable reminder to lay off nabbing fruit uninvited.

That actually was a not too uncommon remedy for this sort of thing some decades back.  It seemed to work.

Just sayin'

Paul M.
==