The owners of a farm in Hamilton are looking for answers after their farm was burglarized for over $30,000 worth of equipment.
Steve and Barb Willis, owners Just Farmin’, believe thieves broke into their barn overnight almost two weeks ago.
In the morning, they came in to find that nearly all of their power tools were gone, along with two crates of eggs from their chickens, a couple of generators and many other tools and pieces of equipment they’ve gathered over years of farming.
“Everything I think they could turn a quick buck on, they took,” Steve Willis said.
‘They picked it all out and cleaned it all out. It set us back hard’
Steve Willis explained that they had to get the garage doors open, but once inside, they started loading up tote bins. He said they also found a hidden key for one of his tractors and used the tractor to lift multiple pallets loaded with equipment. Willis said they then returned the key.
“1-800-Junk ain’t got nothing on these guys, man,” he said. “They picked it all out and cleaned it all out. It set us back hard.”
Willis said they use generators to help power their greenhouses. The theft could mean the loss of some of their crops.
Thieves took produce intended for seniors and tools passed down by family, farm owners say
Willis said, on top of the financial burden, they give a lot of their produce away at senior centers.
“It’s more than feel good, it’s a game changer,” he said of their work providing food to the elderly. “For people to try to take that away from those people… That’s what really sucks.”
Willis said they also took some tools that had been passed down to him by his father and grandfather.
He said the Butler County Sheriff’s Office is investigating, and he hopes whoever did this is caught.
Some of his fellow farmers set up a GoFundMe to help with their expenses replacing what was lost.
This story was provided by Enquirer media partner FOX19.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: ‘It set us back hard.’ Family farm in Hamilton burglarized of equipment worth $30,000
Reporting by Brady Williams / Cincinnati Enquirer
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
