Vandals Destroy $500,000 Worth of Farm Equipment

[two_bit_score]

That's just a shame. I can't stand thieves or vandals.

 

[gotrocks]

What this country needs;

Ten Thousand "Matt Dillons", with the same ability and authority.

 

[Transit]

Sorry to hear that. I had a neighbor that had some landscape work done and the contractor dumped the load in my driveway to get out of the dumping fees. By the time I finished with both of them, they lost their house and the contractor was playing, pick up the soap.

 

[WilliamBos]

That is sad. I am speechless. I hope you don't mind, I posted that link at toytractortimes.com for all to see.

I hope it's ok to paste this article & a link for the WLTX television website?? If it violates a rule on this forum, let me know and I'll edit it or have the mod's delete it.

Just a really mean and lowdown act of vandalism at a farm in South Carolina. There's a picture of some barn damage if you go to the link:

Vandals Destroy $500,000 Worth of Farm Equipment | wltx.com

CLARENDON COUNTY (WLTX) -- Officials are trying to figure out who vandalized hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of equipment at one of Clarendon County's biggest farms.

Workers at Scott Jackson Farms just outside of Manning discovered the damage Saturday morning.

Deputies believe the suspects are possibly teenagers, but say they had to have a good knowledge of farming.

The family-run farm has been around almost fifty years, but the owners have never seen anything like this.

"We make a living on this dirt, on this soil out here. That's it. Whatever we produce here is what keeps the whole family going," explains farm owner Scott Jackson.

Jackson was born and raised just down the street from this farm and began working here in 1955. Since then, it's become a part of him. "We get pretty good help and things go pretty good, most of the time," he says.

But, Saturday wasn't one of those times for the family. Deputies say sometime early that morning, vandals did major damage to their equipment with estimates between $300 and $500 thousand. "Damaged crops, took tractors and actually ran into buildings," explains Sheriff Randy Garrett, "Took the combine and ran it into the barn."

Even as someone in law enforcement, it's been hard for him to understand. Says Garrett, "We've had a lot of vandalism over the years but nothing at this scale, this scope. It's just meaningless, it makes no sense whatsoever."

With no personal injury, it may seem like a harmless prank. But that financial hit to the family, as well as to the rest of the farmers in Clarendon County, makes this far from a victimless crime.

"Other farmers in this county are wondering, 'Am I next? Will somebody come damage by equipment?" says Garrett.

"We're just getting ready to harvest wheat and we got have combines to do that," explains Jackson.

He's is thankful to have neighbors that are pitching in to help with the crops. But, the repairs needed will be a burden that could take several more seasons to grow out of. "They just did more damage than they know," Garrett says, "To them, this was fun and games and it's not. It's not fun and games."

Scott Jackson Farm primarily grows wheat and corn, and was planning to use the damaged combine on Monday. Deputies don't believe the family was targeted for any special reason, other than where there equipment was stored.

 

[spruce Deere]

Would love to catch Vandals. People don't realize they are mess'n with someones livelihood. Working in the logging industry in remote areas I have seen WAY to much vandalism and theft. We have often talked about what should happen or what we would make happen if we caught the scum in the act....

 

[RollingsFarms]

I hope it's ok to paste this article & a link for the WLTX television website?? If it violates a rule on this forum, let me know and I'll edit it or have the mod's delete it.

Just a really mean and lowdown act of vandalism at a farm in South Carolina. There's a picture of some barn damage if you go to the link:

Vandals Destroy $500,000 Worth of Farm Equipment | wltx.com

CLARENDON COUNTY (WLTX) -- Officials are trying to figure out who vandalized hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of equipment at one of Clarendon County's biggest farms.

Workers at Scott Jackson Farms just outside of Manning discovered the damage Saturday morning.

Deputies believe the suspects are possibly teenagers, but say they had to have a good knowledge of farming.

The family-run farm has been around almost fifty years, but the owners have never seen anything like this.

"We make a living on this dirt, on this soil out here. That's it. Whatever we produce here is what keeps the whole family going," explains farm owner Scott Jackson.

Jackson was born and raised just down the street from this farm and began working here in 1955. Since then, it's become a part of him. "We get pretty good help and things go pretty good, most of the time," he says.

But, Saturday wasn't one of those times for the family. Deputies say sometime early that morning, vandals did major damage to their equipment with estimates between $300 and $500 thousand. "Damaged crops, took tractors and actually ran into buildings," explains Sheriff Randy Garrett, "Took the combine and ran it into the barn."

Even as someone in law enforcement, it's been hard for him to understand. Says Garrett, "We've had a lot of vandalism over the years but nothing at this scale, this scope. It's just meaningless, it makes no sense whatsoever."

With no personal injury, it may seem like a harmless prank. But that financial hit to the family, as well as to the rest of the farmers in Clarendon County, makes this far from a victimless crime.

"Other farmers in this county are wondering, 'Am I next? Will somebody come damage by equipment?" says Garrett.

"We're just getting ready to harvest wheat and we got have combines to do that," explains Jackson.

He's is thankful to have neighbors that are pitching in to help with the crops. But, the repairs needed will be a burden that could take several more seasons to grow out of. "They just did more damage than they know," Garrett says, "To them, this was fun and games and it's not. It's not fun and games."

Scott Jackson Farm primarily grows wheat and corn, and was planning to use the damaged combine on Monday. Deputies don't believe the family was targeted for any special reason, other than where there equipment was stored.

i am friends with this guy as his farm is only 15 min from mine. my grandparents were good friends with him for years. many farmers have donated their equipment to use and i donated $1,000 to help makeup what his insurance wouldn't cover. shame this happened. they seem to think it was some kids playing around. that's what ive been told anyways.

 

[devildog1]

Re: Vandals Destroy $500,000 Worth of Farm Equipment;
Now I'm going to say something some of you will not like or agree with but ya know what I really don't care. I'm sick of the vandals, sick of looking at what they leave in the wake of their sick way to have fun at other hard working peoples expense.I was stopped @ a rail road crossing the other day and had to wait for a long freight train to clear the road. As the train cars went by I viewed car after car of spray painted graffiti. Some of the rail cars were brand new, with graffiti from one end to the other.What a site to see, one mile of vandals destruction.So where is the law enforcement? Oh, so some would say "the law can't be everywhere"! If they do happen to catch them what do you suppose will happen? Why not at their sentence, (if caught) the punishment being is cleaning off their sorry excuse for art work until they finish!But no, we can't do that to the poor little kids some would say. They probably came from a broken home and this is their way of reaching out! Maybe they were abused at home need to be put in a program, with free care, food and lodging at the tax payer's expense. Bull-****, we should have a right to protect our property, ourselves & family and our land!It's no different then days of past when trespassers who did the same dirty deeds were dealt with the law of the land. Remember what happened to horse thief's in the good old days? There are some out there who believe we should turn the other cheek. Some actually believe we do not have the right to defend ourselves or our property. Sorry to high jack thread, but it seems like in this modern time the Innocent victims have no rights at all the vandals and the thief's and murderers have more rights then the law abiding people. We still live on the best dirt in the world, but we are totally screwed.
DevilDog

 

[Transit]

With a little luck, do not be surprised if they brag on MySpace or have a video on U-tube.
The problem is the courts will do little or nothing, its all covered by insurance.

Devildog1, in fuddle Japan everything was punishable by death.

 

[RollingsFarms]

With a little luck, do not be surprised if they brag on MySpace or have a video on U-tube.
The problem is the courts will do little or nothing, its all covered by insurance.

Devildog1, in fuddle Japan everything was punishable by death.

acctually insurance is only going to cover half of it at the most. he will still have to make up $200,000 or so. that's why local farmers are donating equipment(combines mostly since this happened right when wheat needed to be cut) and whatever little money they can to help him make up the difference.

 

[WilliamBos]

acctually insurance is only going to cover half of it at the most. he will still have to make up $200,000 or so. that's why local farmers are donating equipment(combines mostly since this happened right when wheat needed to be cut) and whatever little money they can to help him make up the difference.

That is nice to hear that help was there when it was needed.