Agricultural areas north of Marysville, specifically District 10, are facing a recent surge in rural thefts, according to a recent alert from the Yuba County Farm Bureau and reports from local growers. The Yuba County Sheriff’s Office has confirmed this rise, noting that heavy equipment and UTVs have been specific targets.
Local farmers are reporting extensive losses, with thieves trespassing on properties day and night to steal various items. Sara Sodaro-Baggett, owner of Sodaro Orchards, a five-generation family business known for Marysville’s annual peachfest, shared her experiences with such crimes. Her property north of Marysville has been targeted for ladders, buckets, tables, and irrigation equipment. Sodaro-Baggett explained that thieves have broken into pumps to take copper, highlighting that "irrigation equipment is a huge expense to replace." She also noted that a shop on another property, where her family conducts rice farming, was burglarized. While such losses may not seem significant individually, Sodaro-Baggett stated that farmers do not want to pass on those increased prices to their customers.
The scope of these thefts extends beyond equipment. Sodaro-Baggett also reported a burglary at her home located on farmland property, during which jewelry and family heirlooms were stolen. She described this as a frightening experience, admitting that it felt like they were being watched. Thieves are known to use levees and back roads to access remote parts of properties, indicating that crimes are not limited to areas near roadsides but can occur deep within a farmer’s land.
The Yuba County Sheriff’s Office is actively addressing the issue. The department has assigned a sergeant to a rural crimes task force, which collaborates with the Yuba-Sutter Farm Bureau, local farmers, and other stakeholders. This collaboration aims to foster a better understanding of the broader crime challenges facing the agricultural community, facilitate information sharing, and identify emerging issues. The Sheriff’s Office reported making several arrests in the past few months related to agricultural thefts, which often involve copper wires and other equipment that can be resold. Historically, the department has also seen the theft of agricultural products such as beehives and walnuts.
In a related incident, Sutter County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested Noel Montez, 42, earlier this month for stealing 60 bales of hay over a period of time. His vehicle was reportedly identified from a photograph taken in the area of Everglade Road and Highway 113, where the hay bales were taken. State law classifies obtaining property by theft with a value over $950 as grand theft, which is punishable as either a misdemeanor or a felony. If the value of the agricultural property stolen exceeds $50,000, a fine of up to $10,000 can be imposed.
The increase in thefts has compelled farmers to alter long-standing practices. Sodaro-Baggett reflected on a time when farmers felt comfortable leaving their equipment out overnight, lamenting that it is no longer the case. Farmers are now forced to undertake additional work each evening, cleaning up and locking away equipment, adding to the already demanding nature of their work.
