CHARLOTTE COUNTY, Fla. — Deputies with the Charlotte County Sheriffs Office are working to protect the people who grow food and own animals.
Now, “Operation Loose Wire” is working to stop agricultural criminals in their tracks. One of the main focuses is trespassing on agricultural land to pick berries like palmettos.
Elizabeth Coquillard and her family own and operate SWFL Produce in Charlotte County.
“We like to be in remote areas away from everyone where they can’t see exactly what we’re growing so they don’t steal,”
Coquillard said.Stealing is a problem they’re facing time and time again whether it’s their lychees or palmetto berries. Deputies arrested five people on Tuesday for stealing palmetto berries.
“It also takes away from our family too because like with these palmetto berries, we use this harvest every year to pay our property taxes and any other maintenance we need to do on the farm,” Coquillard said.
Charlotte County deputies are working to catch the people responsible. “Operation Loose Wire” is not only aimed at farm theft and trespassing, but loose livestock too.
“You have to use the proper fence for the proper animals you have,” Jim Melo said.
He has chickens, ducks, cows and even a rooster. Melo said fencing is important, barbed wire isn’t always enough.
“Sooner or later the cow will figure out how to step through and in between, and next thing you know they’re out on the road,” Melo said. “For every head I lose it’s over $1000, and then some, could be higher. You don’t want your cattle to be in the street by any means.”
Some animals aren’t treated as kindly as Melo’s.
If you have any concerns about animals you see, call the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office.
"wire" - Google News
August 12, 2021 at 05:24AM
https://ift.tt/3AAi09N
Charlotte deputies look to stop agriculture thieves with 'Operation Loose Wire' - ABC7 News
"wire" - Google News
https://ift.tt/2YtvSDd
https://ift.tt/2VUOqKG
Bagikan Berita Ini
0 Response to "Charlotte deputies look to stop agriculture thieves with 'Operation Loose Wire' - ABC7 News"
Post a Comment