Church alerts police of overnight theft at pumpkin patch

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) – The Wesley Memorial United Methodist pumpkin patch is a usually a scene of smiles and fall fun, but this morning workers say they were a scene of a crime.

Workers at the pumpkin patch told WWAY they called Wilmington Police after the organizer noticed their overnight drop box was missing. The drop box is the youth group’s way of allowing people to pay for pumpkins or donate after hours when no one is working.

The box gets cleaned out each morning, so it is unclear how much money was stolen or at what time.

The organizer says the box was secured and bolted to the picnic table . Somehow the thieves were able to saw it off and take it.

The church’s pumpkin patch is a fundraiser for youth ministry and mission projects.