‘Very violating experience’: New Glasgow Farmers Market frustrated by theft, vandalism

The New Glasgow Farmers Market in New Glasgow, N.S., is pictured in this undated photo (Submitted: New Glasgow Farmers Market)

The organizers of a weekly farmers market in New Glasgow, N.S., are frustrated after recent incidents of vandalism and theft at the site.

“We’re deeply disappointed. This place is built by and for the community, by farmers and small businesses working hard every day to provide local food and goods,” said Kristi Russell, who manages the New Glasgow Farmers Market.

“What was taken wasn’t just product, it was time, effort, and trust.”

New Glasgow Regional Police responded to the farmers market on Glasgow Street around 1:30 p.m. on May 9. Police say someone broke the lock to the market’s dome tent and stole seafood from a freezer, along with other food items, and money from a donation box.

Police believe the theft happened sometime between May 7 and May 9.

Russell says the thief took about $1,000 worth of seafood, frozen Sam’s Pizzas, beverages, bags of coffee and other merchandise from the tent, which houses a small café and general store. That doesn’t include the money stolen from the donation box or the cost of the damage.

“It’s a very violating experience when you realize people have been systematically going through things to see what they can take and sorting through stuff and see what else they can touch,” Russell told CTV News.

The weekly Saturday market is a non-profit cooperative that offers local produce, meats, baked goods, and arts and crafts. Revenue from the café and general store help with operational costs and the market is run by volunteers, including many students and youth.

“All of those people give their time to the market and feel ownership and pride and give back to the community … they feel discouraged someone would do that,” said Russell. “You can’t put a price on that, the feeling that someone has disrespected your efforts. To have that happen really sucks.”

She says the break-in and theft happened just a week after someone spray-painted on the dome tent in a separate incident.

“The dome is fabric … so it makes it really complicated to get it off,” said Russell. “It won’t cost much in supplies, but it just means someone has to go back there and spend hours scrubbing it off.”

Russell says the incident underscores the need for a new secure facility – something the organization has been fundraising for and the purpose of the donation box. They also hope to improve security.

“Which, of course, comes at a cost,” she said.

The market posted about the incident on Facebook in the hopes someone may have information that could help with the police investigation. Russell says she was “floored” by the community response, which included some donations.

“I couldn’t believe the amount of engagement, shares, reactions … that was really surprising to me,” she said. “The kind messages and support were really, really nice.”

Among the donations was $1,000 from Feed Nova Scotia to cover the cost of the stolen food and products.

“Which is great because most of the stuff that we buy is actually wholesale, so we pay the vendors up front for it,” explained Russell. “Now nobody takes a hit because of the generosity of those people that donated.”

As for the suspect, police are trying to identify them, and Russell hopes they understand the impact of their actions on the community.

“I’m really very sorry that they felt the need to have to steal, and whatever prompted them to steal, we hope that they are basically thinking about the impact. We want them to know that it does have an impact on us and on our community and that it’s really unfortunate that they chose to steal.”

Anyone with information a is asked to contact New Glasgow Regional Police at 902-752-2579 or anonymously through Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).

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