Tuesday, June 26, 2012

Thief



Plans progressing with my Aunt Bernie's funeral, thinking about her a hundred times a day. But soon it will be 50 and then 25 and it will most likely stay there. I've known her for 53 years, it's not likely she'll fall off my radar overnight.

So, as I mentioned in my last post. Our farm store was robbed last Wednesday. While I was in Eureka getting more meat to stock our farm store, and Keith was in the house, a individual came into our store and swiped our cash and our digital scale.

It does not appear that any meat or flour or popcorn was taken. All my soap is accounted for. I would feel better if they took some bone-in chops, as at least then I would know they were hungry or some soap, at least they would be a clean thief. Hunger and personal hygiene I can deal with, but taking our hard earned money and the scale we use to weigh our meat, we'll that's pretty low.

The police were called and reports filed.

After a year and a half of doing self serve in our store, we consider ourselves blessed to have so many wonderful customers who not only PAY FOR what they take (imagine that) but sometimes leave a little more. They understand that to hire a full time staff person would mean increased meat prices and none of us want that, and so for now we do not plan to do so.

But we do ask those of you who read my blog to pay by check whenever you can. In fact the day after the robbery, a brand new customer from Chicago came to the store and unaware that we only took cash and check, she had only a debit card.  We told her to take the food and mail us a check. We got it two days later.

We know that 99.9% of the people who crossed our stores threshold are good and decent and honest. As for you other  0.1%?

You stink.

27 comments:

  1. A woman here in the country near my workshop keeps chickens and leaves the eggs in a box by the house for people to buy and leave money for. Then one day, someone took the money and left the eggs. Everyone else usually left more money than she asked for, if they had no change.

    The theft of the digital scales makes me think that drugs might have been involved with your incident.

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  2. A woman here in the country near my workshop keeps chickens and leaves the eggs in a box by the house for people to buy and leave money for. Then one day, someone took the money and left the eggs. Everyone else usually left more money than she asked for, if they had no change.

    The theft of the digital scales makes me think that drugs might have been involved with your incident.

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  3. Sorry - somethings gone wrong and I can't delete one of the two posts - at least it increases your comments I suppose...

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  4. Now that they know where you are and that your cash lies unattended they will be back. Sad but true.

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  5. Boy I am so sorry to hear that. IT is everywhere. My Mother has a surplus store and they stole steel beams during the day. She never saw a thing. They are robbing churches in the area at least one a month. Things are bad and I fear only going to get worse as people have no personal ethics anymore. I am sorry for your loses and maybe somehow the scale may show up somewhere.

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  6. Sad to say, this happened to us one year too. Took the money box right from our front yard at 9 am on Sunday (we still lived in town then, I was growing on rented land in the country).

    I also remember thinking that I wish they had taken vegetables instead, because then I would have known they were simply hungry & needed food. Alas, it was probably spent on drugs, cigs, or alcohol.

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  7. We also had our car stolen the next year from the street. It was recovered from the group of ethnic teenagers who were apparently known by name to the cops. And believe it or not, we lived in a good neighborhood. I'm so much happier in the country on our farm for many reasons!

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  8. I'm so sorry. We talked about this ... I have been doing it for 10 years with my canning jar of a cash register with no problem. But it might happen.

    Try to keep the faith. Remember that 99.9%. They are good friends, neighbors and customers.

    :)

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  9. Meh. I can't stand thieves. Even hungry ones. If someone told me they were starving, I would give it to them. A pox on thieves!

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  10. As my Irish grandmother would have said "hmphfff, some people's children". I agree with you about stealing food if they are hungry but stealing the money and your scale....not cool.

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  11. Most people are honest. I still believe that. It is sad that there are a few bad apples out there that make the rest of us feel like we have to take preventive measures.

    A friend of mine uses an old metal ammo box chained and padlocked to the store for her register. She had a slit cut in the top for people to deposit their money. Not convenient for making change but it keeps the cash box on site.

    Just sayin'

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  12. I am so sorry.

    Our house was robbed two years back. For years I never locked the door, grew up that way and I just never thought about it. My daughter's sweetie moved in with us and asked us to please lock. So we did - two months later they broke in and cleaned us out. Rolls eyes.

    I just hate the feeling of being violated when someone does something like that.

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  13. It is truly horrible that the faith and trust you have placed in people has been shaken. But remember; this is an isolated incident. For the most part, people are good. I have to believe that and time and again your customers have proven it.

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  14. Horrible, just HORRIBLE! It's time to invest in a webcam focused on the entrance of the store and driveway and one inside the store. Stick it to the crooks!

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  15. I'm so sorry this has happened to you. As you wrote most people are honest and trustworthy. But it's a sad fact that one person can just spoil how you feel about things.

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  16. Karma is going to get them, It will come back to them three fold. And know that something good will come from all this mess. I have to agree with all the previous posters. Don't loose faith the 99.9% But also invest in a web camera as already posted. I know it stinks, but it is proven to deter thieves.

    Stacy

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  17. Found your LOVELY blog through Tom Stephenson's - I absolutely love the Cro-Bar soap you made - so funny!

    Sorry to hear you were a victim of thieves. Our house was broken into once and it is a terrifying, unsettling experience that makes you rethink a lot of things.

    Love your blog! So happy and well written and utterly charming.

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  18. Found your LOVELY blog through Tom Stephenson's - I absolutely love the Cro-Bar soap you made - so funny!

    Sorry to hear you were a victim of thieves. Our house was broken into once and it is a terrifying, unsettling experience that makes you rethink a lot of things.

    Love your blog! So happy and well written and utterly charming.

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  19. I agree with Tom S, and think of drugs. Cash and digital scales are quite handy when it comes to drugs.

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  20. I'm so sorry, especially for this to happen while you're grieving the loss of your aunt.

    I've actually had my horses stolen twice since we moved out here. Then we got a big black dog from the pound and then a Great Pyrenees. Maybe you need to leave a big, shaggy dog in the store! Or at least a motion-generated game camera.

    It only takes one thief to ruin it for a lot of honest people!

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  21. Oh wow I am so sorry!!. I agree I would leave a camera in a place that is not noticeable.. I have visted several places that are based on the honor system and I think it works for the most part..

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  22. So sorry this had to happen to you. I saw on news where break-ins are happening more often lately in Campaign county too. Praying protection over you over there. Abiga/Karen

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  23. A scale you say? Like one to weigh narcotics?

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  24. Donna, What an inspiration you are. I loved this post. So sorry to hear about your robbery, but so pleased to hear your attitude toward it. I wish we could stop all the bad things in this world... but I know we can't. We can only control are reactions to it. Although bad things happen, you choose to remain focussed on the good. The good people out there. And there are so many more good than bad. Thanks for this awesome reminder. xoxoxo Jen

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  26. I'm so sorry Donna. My husband and I were just talking about stopping by for more pork. What scum! Makes me wary to leave even my windows open.

    Do you still need a scale?

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