Eastern District Police are reminding business owners to be wary following recent avocado thefts.
There have been a number of instances in Eastern District recently where avocados have been stolen and then sold on Facebook.
Avocado thieves can potentially be charged with burglary, which has a maximum penalty of 10 years imprisonment. If an individual or shop owner has knowingly purchased stolen avocados, they could potentially be charged with receiving stolen property, which carries a maximum imprisonment of seven years.
"If you have an avocado orchard or live near one please keep a look out for any suspicious activity and if you see anything, report it to Police immediately. Also when you are buying avocados, whether you are an individual or shop owner make sure you are buying them from a reputable source," said Senior Sergeant David Sutherland.
"As a community, it’s important to work together to minimise risk to local businesses and to livelihoods. Report anything that’s out of place or appears suspicious."
ENDS
Issued by Police Media Centre