They’re at it again this year; stealing vegetables from my garden. I have a single row on which I grow tomatoes, squash and peppers in the summer and greens in the winter.

It turns out to be more expensive to grow this stuff than to buy it, but I enjoy the exercise and I relish the taste of these fresh, home-grown vegetables.

I feel certain that some of the reactions to this will be, “They are doing it only because they are hungry.”

I read today of a robbery in a nearby city, followed by a high speed chase, followed by the horrendous act of shooting a pursuing policeman in the head. Continuing along this same chain of thought, would some reactions to these acts by these thugs be, “They are doing it only because they need the money?”

Admittedly there is a vast difference between stealing tomatoes and shooting someone, but to me, it looms large.

I just can’t get it through my head that due to disrespect for me, some folks would do this. In addition, stealing tomatoes and getting away with it may lead to robbing a loan company and shooting a policeman in later years.

I called the police and made a formal complaint. I know the police have more to do than worry about my tomatoes, but I wanted the perpetrators to see their presence in an effort to thwart the thieving. Apparently, they don’t respect the police either.

I went to a nearby apartment complex that I suspect these folks are coming from and talked with the manager, left a card and asked that she call me if she suspected someone.

I visited with some apartment dwellers who told me who they probably are. My hands are tied since I can’t use hearsay to bring them to justice. I offered a reward, and in this present-day world with millions of cameras, I wanted photographs.

All this was to no avail.

OK, thieves, you win; I won’t raise my garden there again.

I will simply go someplace else.

This little garden theft scenario serves as a model for our city, our state, and our nation. Theft, thievery and other crimes will drive away legitimate endeavors that are here or would come here.

Ed Field

Natchez