Corn-napped! Prachinburi farmers stalked by thieves in fresh crop heists

A wave of thefts in Prachinburi has left local farmers in despair as thieves have stolen fresh corn cobs from their fields, causing significant losses. The latest incident, involving at least 50 kilogrammes of corn, forced farmers to take drastic measures to prevent further damage.

Santisuk Promwan, an assistant village headman of Village 11, Yanree subdistrict, Kabin Buri district, Prachinburi province, reported the thefts. Over the past few days, he observed thieves sneaking into his 80-rai cornfield at night, breaking off cobs in the middle of the field to make the theft less noticeable.

Thieves leave evidence of their activity by breaking the cobs and piling them on the ground before transferring them into fertiliser bags. These bags are then carried to a waiting vehicle parked discreetly outside the field.

The thefts are believed to occur during the night to avoid detection. Fearing that his entire crop might be stolen, Santisuk decided to hire a vehicle to harvest the corn quickly to minimise losses.

Santisuk explained that the theft was discovered after receiving a warning from a neighbouring village headman who had also suffered significant losses due to similar thefts. Realising the urgency, Santisuk immediately arranged for his corn to be harvested before more could be stolen from his field.

The thieves are believed to operate in pairs, using a car to approach the field under the cover of darkness. They break the corn off the stalks, pile it on the ground, or place it in fertiliser bags before hauling it to their car.

The stolen corn is likely sold after being dried in the sun for two days. Dried corn kernels can fetch a price of 8 to 9 baht per kilogramme, while corn sold to gamecock breeders can reach up to 10 baht per kilogramme.

Santisuk decided to expedite the harvesting process to preempt further thefts. He lamented that this year, corn prices have dropped significantly, with current purchase rates at just 6.70 baht per kilogramme, adding to the financial strain caused by the thefts.

“We had to act quickly to harvest the corn before the thieves took everything. The low prices this year are already tough to deal with, and these thefts are making it even worse.”

The local farmers are now on high alert, hoping to protect their remaining crops from further theft. The incidents have been reported to local police, but the thieves remain elusive. The community is urging anyone with information to come forward to help stop the thefts and bring the culprits to justice, reported KhaoSod.