Thieves recently stole about $6,000 worth of fruit from Corey Lake Orchards, a 250-acre specialty-crop operation in Fabius Township.
A news release from the Michigan Farm Bureau stated organized theft of this nature had never happened at the farm owned by Beth Hubbard.
After a May 9 freeze wiped out most of her sweet and tart cherries, early apples and 60 percent of her peaches, Hubbard said the farm is now looking for new ways to add security so more unharvested fruit isn’t stolen.
Some options include investments in field cameras and floodlights, and added communication with neighbors and the sheriff’s department.
Horticulture specialists say fruit theft is becoming commonplace in Michigan: Theft at Corey Lake Orchards comes just months after 7,000 pounds of apples were stolen from an orchard in Genesee County.