Given what a miserable year this has become for cherry growers, about the last thing they need is to be victimized by thieves.
Yet that’s what the San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office says they discovered after deputies checked on a report of agricultural theft near Waterloo and Fairchild roads, northeast of Stockton.
Deputies said Sunday on social media that they found three people in the middle of plucking the precious crimson orbs in an orchard. And not just a few cherries, but a lot.
Deputies say the trio bucketed about $2,000 worth of cherries – and caused about $2,000 damage to the orchard in the process. In addition, deputies say they found ledgers indicating the three were stealing from other orchards around the state, then hawking their ill-gotten gains at fruit stands.
The three arrested were identified by the Sheriff’s Office as Ling Li, Jian Huang and Wei Guo. They were booked on felony charges that included suspicion of theft, conspiracy and agricultural crimes.
Thousands of dollars in cash was confiscated, and their vehicle was towed, the Sheriff’s Office said.
“Let this be a reminder: crime doesn’t pay … especially when the cherries aren’t yours,” the office wrote in its post.
Even when the cherries are yours, growing has been a tough way to make a living lately.
County Agricultural Commissioner Kamal Bagri sought a “Cherry Disaster Declaration” from the state Office of Emergency Services last month after predicting a 43.41% decrease in the crop. The trees weren’t producing their usual bounty – typically harvested during peak season in May and June – because of last summer’s record heat and other troubles.
Normally, cherries are the fourth most valuable crop in San Joaquin County.
To help growers, U.S. Rep. Josh Harder, D-Tracy, announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture would be purchasing $3 million of dried sweet cherries.