Clemson University’s fruit research facility lost 4,000 pounds of peaches to an act of grand larceny this past August.
On Aug. 22, the Oconee County Sheriff’s Office responded to a call regarding the theft of peaches at a Clemson research farm. Luke Dallman, the assistant farm manager, said that someone had stolen “approximately 4,000 pounds of peaches, market value of $3,000 to $5,000,” according to an incident report obtained by The Tiger.
Upon discovering so many peaches were missing, the farm began calling vendors they typically sell to. They discovered that a stand in Powdersville was provided a sampling of “Big Red” peaches. The man who had ventured to the stand with the peaches said he’d have a “truckload of peaches the following week” if they were interested in purchasing them. This stand in Powdersville recognized the peaches from the Clemson orchard and knew that no one else in South Carolina had peaches to sell at this time. “The stand refused to buy the truckload,” according to the incident report.
The peaches were meticulously monitored. Dallman said the records detailed “highly specific information about the fruits.” Because of the extent to which these records were detailed, Dallman and his team “know very precisely how much fruit should’ve been there,” according to the incident report.
Officers say that two Piedmont, South Carolina locals Donald New, 38, and Scottie Ledford, 23, were staying at the Oconee Point Campground that borders the peach orchard. They were formally charged with grand larceny, trespassing and agriculture/damage or destruction of farm product, research facility or equipment, according to the report.
Source : The Tiger
