24-05-2025
Melon thefts reported in Ibaraki Prefecture
A series of melon thefts have been reported this month in Ibaraki Prefecture, the top producer of melons in Japan, police said.
According to police, in Ibaraki town, about 200 Andes melons were stolen from a greenhouse on May 9, NHK reported. The grower said they were taken just before harvest and were worth about 160,000 yen.
Five days earlier, 30 melons were stolen from a farm in Hokota City.
Police said other thefts have also been reported and are calling on growers to step up measures such as increasing the number of patrols and installing security cameras and sensor lights.
Hiroyuki Iwasaki, a farmer in Ibaraki town, whose high-quality melons were stolen three years ago, said he is outraged by the continued occurrence of thefts targeting harvest season.
"Farmers work hard with no time to rest. It's painful and infuriating that our produce is stolen right before harvest,' he said.
© Japan Today
