Olde Towne neighbors tired of Farmer’s Market sign thief

BELVILLE, NC (WWAY) — Someone is stealing signs in Belville and neighbors want the thief caught.

“It’s just not right, it’s not right and it’s theft,” said community association secretary Stephanie Smith.

For months neighbors in Olde Towne have been trying to catch a thief.

“We want to know, why? Why are you doing this?” Smith asked.

That question was raised after dozens of signs advertising a community farmer’s market were stolen.

“It was sign after sign,” said community association president Rana LaBrunda. “I mean from signs that were put three feet into the ground to signs that were made out of wood.”

So neighbors set up a camera. Just before the New Year they captured video of the supposed sign thief. What it caught was unbelievable.

“We weren’t expecting an older woman,” said LaBrunda. “We really were not. Honestly we were very shocked when we saw that.”

The signs are for the Olde Towne farm stand. Something the community has had Powell Produce run year round.The Powell family drives an hour to provide the daily picked produce.

“They’re very, very loving, loyal people,” LaBrunda said.

The Powells had no where to go after the Leland Market closed. Selling to neighbors in Olde Towne or along River Road is a major source of income. Now everyone one feels like the pickers are getting picked on.

“They don’t understand why, because they’ve never done anything to anybody,” said Smith.

They want the thief to beat it. Now that they have an idea who it could be, neighbors hope the video produces an arrest.

“We’re over it,” LaBrunda said. “One to two times somebody takes a sign is one thing but when you start taking them dozens and dozens and dozens of them for months and months it’s just larceny and it’s just theft.”

Since the video was posted to Nextdoor and on social media the community association has had several tips on who the woman is. They’ve sent those to the Brunswick County Sheriff’s Office.