3 Tons Disappear Overnight... Jeju Mandarin Orange Orchard Swept Clean

[Financial News] As the mandarin orange harvest season approaches, when agricultural thefts in Jeju are most frequent, heightened caution is advised.
According to Jeju Dongbu Police Station on the 29th, a report was filed on the 24th by an orchard owner in Bonggae-dong, Jeju City, stating that mandarin oranges ready for harvest had vanished overnight.
Police launched an investigation based on trash left at the scene and identified a man in his 50s, referred to as Mr. A, as a suspect.
Mr. A told police, "I thought the orchard was one I had purchased through a Pojeon Sale, so I hired nine workers and harvested the mandarin oranges in a single day."
In reality, Mr. A had conducted a Pojeon Sale transaction for a different orchard adjacent to the one where the loss occurred.
However, the orchard Mr. A had purchased was about 1,000 square meters, while the affected orchard was more than five times larger. The estimated yield from the stolen orchard is approximately 3 tons. Police are currently investigating whether to charge Mr. A with theft.
According to the Jeju Provincial Police Agency, there have been 118 reported cases of agricultural theft in Jeju over the past four years: 36 cases in 2021, 23 in 2022, 19 in 2023, and 29 in 2024.
By type of stolen goods, mandarin oranges and late-maturing citrus fruits accounted for 49 cases (41.5%), the highest proportion. This was followed by broccoli with 9 cases, and garlic and onion with 7 cases each.
Thefts were concentrated in the winter months, with 19 cases in March, 14 each in February and November, 13 in January, and 12 in December.
Crimes typically involved 'field theft,' where crops are stolen directly from fields or orchards, and 'granary theft,' where produce is taken from storage facilities.
Police advised, "Do not leave harvested crops unattended by the roadside or in fields. Whenever possible, store them in warehouses equipped with locks and Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV). If you notice any suspicious individuals or vehicles, make a note of the vehicle type or license plate just in case."


jjw@fnnews.com Jung Ji-woo Reporter