Police have urged members of the public to avoid buying produce from people who are not known farmers or their representatives in case the goods are stolen.

The call came after several farmers across the island reported incidents in which produce, including vegetables and fruits, was taken from their farms by intruders.

A police spokesman said: “The Bermuda Police Service have been made aware of a number of recent thefts of produce from farmers’ gardens.”

He added: “Members of the public are urged, should you be approached by individuals, who are not known farmers or their representatives, selling produce, to not purchase these items as they may be stolen.”

The spokesman warned residents that stolen vegetables may recently have been chemically treated.

He added: “Consuming produce too soon after a chemical application could be detrimental to health.”

The spokesman said stealing agricultural produce, or receiving such goods, could be punished by a maximum fine of $10,000 or up to five years in prison.

Tom Wadson, of Wadson’s Farm, told The Royal Gazette this month that he has been experiencing thefts regularly at his farm.

He said: “It’s been happening all day, all night; we always suffer.”

The Southampton farmer added: “Some days are good but other days it’s pretty bad.”

Mr Wadson said thieves destroyed some crops while trying to remove others.

He added: “People are desperate and they are probably trying to survive.”

Mr Wadson said: “The worst of it is that they are mashing up the stuff on the farm to get to what they want.”

Carlos Amaral, of Amaral Farms, noted: “Luckily for us, this year we have not had any rampant thefts, but we are looking out.”

However, he said there were isolated incidents when vegetables such as a few heads of broccoli and a cabbage were taken.

JaVaughn Dill, of Dill’s Pickle Farming, said: “The thieves never seem to sleep.”

Mr Dill believes the perpetrators resell stolen produce to the public and, in some cases, they steal items for their own use.

In 2022, farmers across the island suffered “rampant” thefts from fields during the day as well as under the cover of darkness.

At the time, a government spokeswoman said that since the pandemic, incidents across Bermuda had increased significantly, with reports of daylight thefts.

Walter Roban, the Minister of Home Affairs, met farmers to talk about the problems they faced, including thefts from crops at night, and ways the sector could be boosted.

The Government made a commitment to address the farmers’ concerns.

Publicity of the thefts appeared to result in fewer incidents but the farmers remained vigilant.

• Anyone who suspects they may have been invited to buy stolen produce or who may have any information on theft from farmers’ gardens, was asked to call 211 or 295-0011