Recently, at a pumpkin patch in Pickerington, Ohio, called Sam’s Pumpkin Patch, farmer Terry Dunlap noticed that his pumpkin patch was cleared out. He reported that around 300 of his prize pumpkins, around the size of bushel baskets, were missing. 

     Dunlap feels this on a personal level because they took his best pumpkins. He estimated the loss to be around $6,000 of his income. The missing pumpkins would have been a significant part of his yearly income. 

     This many pumpkins would have weighed several thousand pounds, so the thief would have had to use a trailer to do this. According to Cleveland 13 News, the robbery “likely involved a truck, trailer, or multiple trips” because of how many pumpkins were missing. Since the incident, Dunlap has installed locked gates at the field entrance to prevent future attacks.

     The theft is not believed to be isolated, as a pumpkin patch in Circleville, Ohio, called Puffy’s Pumpkins, has reported that they have also been missing pumpkins. Terry Dunlap has warned nearby farms to take extra precautions to prevent further robberies. He also has told people to look out for roadside markets that could easily sell his pumpkins for their own profit.

     After reporting the incident, Dunlap has offered a reward to anyone who could give him information leading to who might have done this. The community has been supporting the business by offering donations, but Dunlap has turned them away, saying they should donate to charities instead.

     As of now, the case is still under investigation and none of the stolen pumpkins have been recovered.