Thieves Target tobacco

Source from:  Monte Sonnenberg SIMCOE REFORMER Monday December 17, 2007 12/18/2007

Third major theft in six weeks recorded in Windham Township Tobacco thieves have pack barns firmly in their sights. Friday, Norfolk OPP reported the third major theft of cured leaf from a pack barn since the end of October. Taken this time from a farm on Windham Road 2 were bales with an estimated value of $23,000. Cured leaf with an estimated value of $31,000 was reported stolen from a pack barn on the Brantford Road north of Delhi between Oct. 26 and Oct. 29. As well, tobacco with an estimated value of $40,000 was stolen from a barn on Middleton Road 3 near Courtland Nov. 29. It is difficult to make sense of these crimes because there is a glut of tobacco on the market. As well, profit margins at the tobacco auction exchange in Delhi in recent years have been poor to non-existent. It is also difficult getting authorities to speak about the possible motivations behind the thefts. Const. Mark Foster of the Norfolk OPP said police have theories "but we're not going to share that. "It's part of our investigation," Foster said Friday. Tom McElhone, chair of the Ontario Flue-Cured Tobacco Growers Marketing Board, also wouldn't venture an opinion. "Thefts are unfortunate," he said. "It's a considerable loss to the producer. Unfortunately, we're not prepared to speculate on the market for stolen tobacco. That's not in our realm. That's a field for police, not us." A former tobacco farmer who spoke on condition of anonymity said there are many places where stolen leaf could be sold illegally. Aside from the major multi-nationals, there are 75 microprocessors in Canada who manufacture cigarettes for the retail market. The farmer said thieves would likely find a ready market among manufacturers who are willing to break the law governing the wholesale trade in tobacco. "There are billions of dollars to be had in the tobacco business," the farmer said. "The only ones who are not being treated fairly in this scenario is the tobacco farmer." Federal and provincial law requires all tobacco transacted in Ontario to be sold through the tobacco auction exchange in Delhi. Once bales are sold at the exchange, purchasers receive paperwork certifying them as legally traded. Norfolk OPP ask anyone with information regarding tobacco thefts to contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS. Enditem