Thieves Hit Farmers' Markets
Vendors at city farmers' markets have been hit twice in recent weeks by quick-strike thieves. The thefts took place last Thursday at Fairmount and 22nd Street, and earlier at the Saturday Rittenhouse Square market.
The M.O. is for the thieves to wait until closing time when the vendors have the most cash. As they close they tend to leave their cash boxes unattended in their vehicles: that's when the low-lifes strike.
It's happened at least four other times over the last few years at three different markets.
The vendors have previously been warned about the need for caution in their cash-handling procedures, and those warnings were restated with the recent thefts. Part of the problem, particularly with farmers from rural areas, is that they have to reshift their mind-set to an urban environment.
It appears that the thieves case the markets for likely targets and then strike. One thief grabs the cash, usually out of the vendor's vehicle, then makes an escape in a car driven by an accomplice.
2 comments:
That is just disturbing. How low do you have to be to steal money from farmers and local producers? Venting...
You know, it is rare that I've seen the police there -- considering the crowds, this is astonishing. I hope word gets back to the Mayor and Councilman DiCicco
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