After dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic, a farmers’ market near Nanaimo has faced another setback after thieves managed to break into a steel storage container and make off with items like generators, dollies, heaters and more.
Organizers say approximately $5,000 worth of equipment was stolen from the Cedar Farmers’ Market sometime before the market was scheduled to run this past Sunday.
A solid steel lock on the storage container was cut through using some sort of grinder and “everything of value” was stolen, said market executive director Kate Poirier.
“It’s a big setback for the season. We had two years of COVID and dealing with all of the rules in food and crowds, it was a lot of work, and a year before that we moved locations,” she said. “This was year four and it was supposed to be the easy year where there’s no major obstacles.”
The theft is especially strange because most of the items would have limited resale value, though they’ll cost the market quite a bit to replace, said Poirier. Thieves would also have had to drive onto the field at the market site, behind the former Woodbank Elementary School on Morland Road, to load the stolen goods.
Nanaimo RCMP confirmed it is investigating the theft, which it says occurred sometime overnight July 3.
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Fortunately, the community has stepped up to help out the non-profit market, which supports hundreds of local vendors as well as low-income families through a coupon program.
“It’s such a small community but people come from all over to go to the market, but the people in the area are saying ‘I’m going to donate the gas and bring my generator to use,’ just little things like that,” said market president Leanna Graves. “It feels great. It’s just an outpouring of support.”
Companies have also stepped forward to help, with one crane truck operator lending their machinery to help relocate the trailer and move it to a visible location, while a company in Parksville is helping to replace electrical items at cost.
A GoFundMe campaign has also been launched to help pay for replacement items as well as install more surveillance equipment to deter future thefts. After just one hour of going live, it had raised almost $1,800 Monday.
Organizers say the market won’t miss a beat, returning next Sunday with help from the community.
Jeff Lawrence
