DENTON, MD - Produce stand owners in Caroline County are taking measures to prevent theft, installing cameras to deter would-be thieves. Tribbett Farms, a local farm known for using the honor system at their roadside market, has been particularly affected by theft, prompting them to take action.
Leah Tribbett, the owner of Tribbett Farms, shared that the farm has faced significant losses due to theft. "We were losing about half of our profits every day," Tribbett said. "We hardly were able to make any money off the stand last year."
In response, Tribbett installed motion-sensor cameras at the produce stand this season. Similar to a ring camera, Tribbett gets an alert to her phone every time someone walks up to the stand. The presence of the cameras has had a noticeable impact. "When people see the cameras, they're like, 'Oh, oh crap,' and realize they can't steal," Tribbett explained. However, she noted that some people continue to steal despite the cameras.
Videos of individuals taking tomatoes, corn, and even watermelon have been posted on social media. Tribbett reported that these posts have led to some thieves returning to pay for what they took. "Guessing people don't really like their face being all over the internet, so they come back and end up paying," she said.
Despite the success of the cameras in reducing theft, Tribbett expressed frustration over the situation. "It takes so much time and work just to get the garden to grow, and watering it all, picking everything—it's a lot," she said.
Local resident Pretoria Carroll, who regularly visits produce stands, expressed concern that theft might force these businesses to close. "It's very heartbreaking when you ride past and don't see the stuff here anymore that you want to buy locally," Carroll said. "It's bad that they have to go through all of that."
Leah Tribbett noted that every individual caught on camera and posted online has returned to pay for the stolen goods. She encourages other produce stand owners facing similar issues to invest in security cameras to protect their products and livelihoods.