A massive amount of high-quality corn was stolen over the weekend just before the crop was to be harvested in Yamanashi Prefecture, police said Monday.
According to police, early on Sunday morning, the grower discovered that approximately 700 corn cobs had been stolen from a greenhouse on his property located in Minami-Alps city in the eastern part of the prefecture, Fuji TV reported.
The stolen variety of sweet corn, known as “Gold Rush,” is a high-grade maize. The value of the stolen corn is estimated at 170,000 yen, police said.
Local media quoted the grower as saying, “I took care of the corn as if they were my own children. Right now, my thoughts are filled with sadness.”
Because the stolen corn was skillfully picked from the stalks, there is a high possibility that several thieves with agricultural experience were involved, police said.
© Japan Today
8 Comments
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Brian Wheway
Thats about £1.70 each wow that expensive for corn on the cob, i hope it tastes nice for that price, as for the theft, well 5 people collecting 140 each i would of thought that it would only take a few hours, either way I hope they trace the crooks and prosecute them,
commanteer
And your reckoning is based on what exactly? Do you know the price of corn or this year's harvest details? Or how insurance for such a loss is paid out?
TrevorPeace
Pricey corn on the cob, and another indicator of Japan's food supply/cost problem.
smithinjapan
Maybe if they just charged normal for it no one would steal it -- they didn't do it because they were hungry, same as the people who stole the billion dollar strawberries last year didn't do it because THEY were hungry either.
Wolfpack
Oh my! Should the cops treat this as a kidnapping case?
englisc aspyrgend
If you are right, god help the thieves!
On a slightly more sensible note i would not call 700 cobs a "massive amount", 700 tons would be a massive amount. This is just a small amount of grossly overpriced vegitable matter.
Michael Jackson
Corn on the cob will be expensive anyway this early in the season. Later in summer I could find it locally for half that price or less.