METCHOSIN, B.C. — The last thing Eric White expected to deal with when he started farming was organized crime.
“People have taken almost everything,” Eric says.
At first, it was the odd individual who’d steal hundreds of dollars worth of produce that Eric had spent countless hours growing.
“That really stings,” Eric says. “Basically, feels like they’re chiseling away at my life.”
Seeing as their honour-system food stand was so crucial in supporting their family, Eric’s partner Sarah Anthony started monitoring the security cameras they set-up.
“I can see that somebody obviously just didn’t even try to pay,” Sarah says. “They just walked away.”
After they started posting those people’s pictures on social media, they assumed the stealing would stop.
“Their grandmother knows them.” Eric recalls. “And drags them back by the ear.”
Eric and Sarah never imagined the next theft they’d catch on camera would be evidence of an inside job.
“Ugh,” Eric recalls sighing after seeing the footage. “The goats are at it again.”
While you might excuse the animals for not carrying cash, Sarah And Eric know their goats are capable of organizing crimes.
“They are a team,” Sarah says. “They work together as a team.”
The team, with members that have disarming names like Pom-Pom, had previously been spotted behind the stand.
“They definitely cased the joint,” Eric says with a smile.
They surveilled their enclosure too.
“You can see their minds working like, ‘How does this work?’” Eric says, adding that the goats tried jumping over the fence before figuring out how to open the gate door.
So, the night of the heist, they un-hooked the bungie cord, lifted the latch, and with Swiss-clock precision put their plan into action.
“They’re incredibly clever,” Sarah says.
The security camera shows Pom-Pom was on lookout while the other goats gorged, and then they switched positions so he could eat the produce.
“Obviously it was a co-ordinated effort to make sure they weren’t getting caught,” Eric says.
“They were in heaven,” Sarah adds.
But unlike the people who got caught, the goats will not be punished.
“I like them too much. They’re sweet,” Eric says. “I love them.”
He’s impressed with their teamwork and intelligence, comparing the goats to pet dogs.
For Sarah and Eric, catching a crime on camera is inconsequential when the culprits have already stolen your heart.
