SIX ARRESTED FOR STEALING PECANS

PRESS RELEASE

SIX ARRESTED FOR STEALING PECANS

CRISP COUNTY- October 30, 2017

On two separate occasions Crisp County Sheriff’s Office has made arrests in regards to individuals stealing pecans. Wednesday, October 25, 2017 Demetrius Ford 24 year old male and Kimberly Blanks 22 year old female, both residents of Cordele were charged with theft by taking. Ford and Blanks collected approximately 100lbs. of pecans prior to being reported. Both were arrested and transported to Crisp County Detention Center.

Friday, October 27, 2017 Jashira Dukes 22 year old female, Lulamae Jones 26 year old female, Jonathan Smith 32 year old male, and Terribe Smith 23 year old female, all residents of Cordele were also charged with theft by taking after collecting approximately $345 worth of pecans. Violators were arrested and transported to Crisp County Detention Center.

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As harvest season is in full swing we have had six arrested in the last week due to pecan theft. We would like to remind everyone it is against Georgia law and individuals will be charged with theft by taking.

Georgia Law Code Section 16-8-2 states, “ A person commits the offense of theft by taking when he unlawfully takes or, being in lawful procession thereof, unlawfully appropriates any property of another with the intention of depriving him of the property, regardless of the manner in which the property is taken of appropriated.” Subsection C “where a violation of Code sections 16-8-2 through 16-8-9 involved 1,000 the theft of a growing or otherwise unharvest commercial agricultural product which is being grown or produced as a crop. Such offense shall be punished by a fine of not less than $500.

Georgia Law Code Section 44-12-241 states, “Pecans falling on public right of way—Ownership during harvest season; picking pecans from tree limbs without permission; penalty.

(a) When pecan trees are grown on private property and the branches of the trees extend over public roads, streets, or highway rights of way, any pecans falling from any such pecan trees onto the public rights of way shall be the property of the owner of the pecan trees until the end of the harvesting season; and it shall be unlawful for any person to remove the pecans from any public rights of way during the harvesting season without the permission of the owner of the trees.

(b) It shall be unlawful for any person, without the permission of the owner of pecan trees grown on private property, to pick or otherwise remove any pecans from the limbs or branches of the trees or to cause pecans to fall from the trees.