Fall is here and many people are heading to local pumpkin patches to find their perfect pick.
But here at the Solvang Farmer Pumpkin Patch, KSBY News was told people are skipping the line altogether and stealing from the patch.
Now, new security measures are in place to help put a stop to the thefts.
Solvang Farmer Pumpkin Patch owner Steve Jacobsen says thefts on his property happen every year.
After learning about the latest theft last Friday, he said soon after, other people were trespassing.
“I got the call at 1:30 in the morning,” said Jacobsen. “I missed the people that were stealing but then I stumbled on some kids coming out of the corn maze at 1:30 in the morning.”
The property is located on a farm along Alamo Pintado Road and is not fenced off.
“It’s an open field, so we have no way of fencing it off. That takes away from the aesthetic too,” said Jacobsen. “We've always prided ourselves on it letting people get the feel of coming into it a true pumpkin patch and see the stuff being grown.”
Jacobsen says some pumpkins take more than 100 days to grow and every stolen pumpkin has an impact.
“People they think ‘Oh look at them. Well, you are not going to miss one or two or three or four of them,'” said Jacobsen. “You got so many of them. You don't realize every little one you take is money coming out of my pockets.”
KSBY News also checked in with Summerset Farms nearby. The manager, Sally Maher, says they have not had an issue with recent thefts but tells KSBY News that they have a fence and security cameras.
“Solving Farmer, they work so hard to do what they do and their venue is really, really nice," said Maher. “It's nice that it's open. Very welcoming to people and there are those few that just do, you know, they disregard and that's just wrong.”
Jacobsen says security cameras will now be up on his property as well.
“We’re putting a camera and motion lights up and then the local sheriff’s department is going to patrol a little but for us," said Jacobsen.
