JEDDO, Mich. (WWJ) -- An investigation is underway to figure out who stole a Michigan farmer's pumpkin crop.
Ray Peltier, owner of McCallum's Orchard and Cider Mill in Jeddo, Mich. -- just north of Port Huron -- says last week, someone backed their truck up to his farm and stole about 350 pumpkins that were supposed to be used for a family event. The theft occurred some time between 2:30 a.m. and 7:30 a.m. on Oct. 7, right before families were supposed to paint them.
Peltier says this hurts because his orchard is a safe, family place.
It was a tough growing season where he had to virtually sleep at the orchard, due to a drought.
"For two months, we rented a water truck, we would close at 5 o'clock and we would man the hose," Peltier told WWJ's Sandra McNeill.
Peltier said he ended up with a decent crop, despite the drought. He says it looks like the theft was "a professional job," but they do have some clues because they were special pumpkins, though he did not want to elaborate.
"You're stealing all our dreams," Peltier says to whomever the thieves may be. "We're trying to make a family environment here and make memories."
"This really hurts all the volunteers and us because the pumpkins are not pumpkins, they're a memory. We had to cancel the face painting and pumpkin painting on the weekend because all of those were stolen," Peltier said.
