Avocado fruit theft

Avocado theft can impact us all. By sharing theft issues, ideas and successes with other growers we can all make a difference in protecting ourselves from avocado theft. If you have any helpful theft prevention tips that you would like to share with other growers, NZ Avocado would love to hear from you.

New Zealand Police recommendations:

• Be extra vigilant and take steps to prevent theft, including increasing security around your orchard.
• If you witness any suspicious behaviour contact your neighbouring orchards to ensure others are also keeping a look out.
• If a theft takes place the New Zealand Police encourage reporting in all instances.
• If witnessed at the time of theft call the Police emergency line on 111 immediately. Try to take as many details as you can of the thieves including their appearance and any vehicles and vehicle registration numbers etc.
• If you discover fruit has been stolen but you did not witness the theft, contact your local police station.
• If you have had fruit stolen recently but have not yet reported it, contact your local police station.
• If you are approached by anyone trying to sell car boot loads of avocados, take a description of the person and their vehicle registration and report the activity to your local police station.

What you can do to help protect your fruit:

• Install security cameras or if you are unable to do this, install signage as a deterrent that says the orchard is under surveillance. Theft prevention signs can be ordered by emailing info@nzavocado.co.nz– two signs per PPIN.
• Install a driveway alarm to alert you of people entering your property
• Keep any gates to the orchard locked or install an electronic pin code gate
• Have a regular walk around your orchard to stay alert of anything unusual or potential risk areas that you may want to address
• Use your phone to take photos if you do see anything suspicious
• If you see something – say something.

How to spot stolen fruit:

Avocados with long stalks or no stalks maybe stolen as they have been ripped from the tree. In a normal harvest avocado stalks are cut from the tree close to the fruit which leaves a small button stalk.

Avocados that never ripen are also likely to be stolen as the fruit has been picked before it is mature.

If you spot this fruit please report it to your local police station or NZ Avocado – info@nzavocado.co.nz