Turlock’s representative on the County Board of Supervisors, Vito Chiesa, has become fed up with what he calls, “meth fueled” crime at his Hughson walnut orchard and in a larger picture — agricultural crime and the passage of Proposition 47.
Monday night criminals attempted to steal walnut burl from the orchard, only they left behind the fully running backhoe after Chiesa’s neighbor heard chainsaws in the middle of the night and confronted them.
Chiesa journaled his frustration on Facebook, “memo to the dirtbags who were trying to steal our walnut burl; come see me if you want your backhoe returned. I’ll be waiting patiently with the Deputy!”
It turns out the “dirtbags” stole the backhoe from a Hilmar construction site and it has since been returned to its owner.
Chiesa says that it was the second time his neighbor has scared off would be thieves, the third time thieves have left behind a stolen backhoe at the orchard, and at least the 10th time his family orchard has been stuck by thieves over the years.
He was obviously upset with the annoyance of the crime and sees it as a consequence of drugs, current policy and populace voting.
“90 percent of these people are stealing to feed a meth or drug habit. I feel sorry for the deputies who are put in a situation where they cite and release because of Prop. 47,” said Chiesa. “I was talking with Sheriff Adam Christianson a few days ago and since Prop. 47 he has released 200 people on what used to be felonies but are now misdemeanors. We keep releasing these people, property crimes are up and yet the jail is still at capacity so we aren’t even saving any money. I don’t know what can be done with these people. It has become a terrible nuisance and it affects the quality of life.”
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shoot em.
I have a simple question: How would the theft of a piece of farm equipment fall under the guidelines of Prop 47? Isn’t a piece of machinery such as that far more expensive than the petty theft Prop 47 reduces?
It affects YOUR quality of life, but you certainly weren’t concerned about the quality of life of the county workers who lost 5% of their pay and were struggling to make ends meet.
Talk to your county probation department that do nothing to supervise those that were in your orchard. All those cases that just sit on a shelf with no supervision.
Wow Again? Again?? never heard of crooks leaving two stolen backhoes on the same persons property…..maybe theres something a little fishy with this story…
what i want to know is, how is a backhoe stolen from HILMAR and taken to HUGHSON and nobody noticed? and apparently happened 3 times? i would look into the business it was stolen from
What a whiner – maybe you should get a real job instead of a government job that provides unions, pensions, lack of accountability – things that people in the real world hardly get. Maybe – you should get a job that doesn’t require reaching into my pocket to pay your wage. And speaking of getting less pay; we’re are experiencing a deep depression right now where non government employees have to do with less – yet your unaccountable and entitled mind set says you deserve more.
get a real job and get your hand out of my pocket. you are lazy, useless, and offer no real service and you certainly couldn’t compete in the real job place.
How can the Sheriff or police handle the crime when a sheriffs dectective was busted growing dope and dealing steroids after she blew away her tenant? The sheriff is dirty and the cops need to write tickets to bring in money.
We are supposed full faith in police, but they can’t put faith in people protecting themselves and advertising that they can through open carry.
Hey Vito, maybe contact your former chief probation officer that left you after the passage of AB109 why you are being ripped off. Oh wait he left for LA after the passage of AB109