Honesty boxes getting hit by the dishonest
An honesty box owner in North Canterbury may be about to give it up after being hit by two thefts in three days.
Jane Hayes, of CJs Plant Barn in Amberley, said she was just mindblown at the branzenness of the thefts, the first of which happened in broad daylight on Sunday. Feijoas and about $300 in cash was stolen.
Hayes said the business put a feijoa stand on the highway for people’s convenience about five years ago.
‘‘I guess it’s one of the things about being on the highway,’’ she said. ‘‘But it does kind of put you off doing it.’’
The second theft happened on Tuesday evening, the thieves using bolt cutters to get into the money box.
Hayes said while it was extremely frustrating, she was still reluctant to take away the box as the majority of people were honest.
‘‘At one extreme we have had so many honest locals putting in IOU’s and everyone one of them has been honoured. Then you get the other extreme.’’
Last year the business was forced to erect signage and a camera after a bad run of fruit thefts. But while last year was bad for the number of people pinching the fruit, this week was the first time someone had broken into the money box.
Hayes said while people might think CJs was a large business with plenty of money, it all affected the bottom line, and the $300 stolen would have paid a staff member’s wages. She and the business owners would now be thinking about whether or not to remove the feijoa stand.
‘‘We like the old-fashioned thing about pulling up on the side of the road and buying fruit,’’ she said.
‘‘If we were to stop it would be a shame for the rest of the people who are honest.’’
‘‘We like the oldfashioned thing about pulling up on the side of the road and buying fruit.’’