Sugar-makers bitter about thefts, vandalism
Toolbox
By DAPHNE LARKIN Times Argus Staff - Published: March 19, 2008
The sweet success of sugaring is getting tapped this season as a higher-than-usual rate of theft and vandalism of expensive equipment statewide is cutting into profits.
Last week, there were three reports to police of either theft or vandalism to sugaring equipment.
In one case, a $2,000 filter press and another piece — a $1,400 membrane and container for a reverse-osmosis machine — were stolen from Alan Mayer's sugar shack on Route 116 in Bristol.
Maurice Rheume came out to his sap tank in Salisbury on March 14 and found it drained of at least 250 gallons. And Earl Emerson lost about 500 gallons of sap when someone put two bullet holes through his tank in Topsham March 15.
All three men have been sugaring for decades and have suffered the minor theft of a bucket here or tubing there, but these are the worst attacks they have had to withstand.
There also have been anecdotal reports of break-ins to two sugar shacks in Franklin County — one in Fairfield and one in Fairfax — in which stainless steel evaporator pans and steel plumbing pipes were taken.
In this tight-knit niche industry, stories such as these circulate quickly, and crime victims hope getting out the word will raise awareness and advise others to keep an eye out for trouble.
Unfortunately, the small size of the community also means thefts of equipment and product are likely the work of other sugar-makers looking to increase profits.
"Either somebody in the sugaring business needed it, knew somebody that needed it, or they knew where they could get rid of it," Mayer said of his stolen equipment. "The (state) trooper said it's more than likely somebody that's been to your sugaring house and seen what equipment you have there."
Rheume, who is the president of the Addison County Sugarmakers' Association, was robbed of 250 gallons of sap. He said the thief backed a truck down to his tank, which was off the road, and must have had a pump and his own tank.
The sap likely was stolen for "some sugar-making experience, possibly they would have a place to boil it down, or they might be somebody who sells sap," Rheume said.
"If whoever they were selling it to knew they didn't have that many trees, why would you have that much? And it's early in the season," he said. "Probably it's somebody that has a sugaring operation and would be just looking for some extra sap quickly and cheaply."
Insurance covers equipment, but those who have coverage often have a high deductible.
But it could be another market.
Some officials warn the increased price of metal and general hard times are leading people to steal easily moveable metal for scrap. One victim said the trooper investigating his theft suggested the crime was drug-motivated, that someone was looking for quick cash in the form of scrap metal.
Others have suggested perhaps the thieves are stealing the expensive equipment either for another sugaring operation.
Most people agree that, especially this early in the sugaring season, the number of crimes against sugar-makers is noticeably higher than usual.
Peter Purinton, a longtime sugar-maker and a distributor of Leader Evaporator maple sugaring equipment in Huntington, said he often helps people price out equipment after they have been robbed. This year, he said he already has advised at least a half-dozen people compared to only a couple last year.
"It seems to be happening more this year than any year past," Purinton said. "Now it seems to be more expensive pieces stolen and more frequently."
Tim Perkins, director at the Proctor Center, a field station of the College of Life Sciences at University of Vermont, said, "It's a bit strange to have all of those at once. There are periodically various thefts or vandalism issues that come out but I wouldn't say it's really overly common."
Vermont has approximately 2,000 sugar-makers, with operations ranging from hobbyists to industrial producers, and is the largest maker of maple syrup in the United States, according to the Vermont Maple Sugar Makers' Association.
Cost is a factor for any sugar-maker. The industry is expensive to get into.
Mayer, who had several pieces of expensive equipment stolen from his sugar shack, owns a separate business in Vergennes with his wife. He said he taps about 1,200 trees a year and likely has spent about $50,000 on his operation over the 24 years he's been sugaring.
He estimates that a hobby sugaring operation tapping a couple hundred trees could cost as much as $5,000 to get started.
"It's not an inexpensive thing to get into," Mayer said.
Purinton makes a full-time living off his sugaring, tapping about 12,000 trees and producing between 5,000 and 6,000 gallons of syrup a year, depending on weather. He said he has made a decent living at it. "I've made enough to raise a family … fed well, my house has always been warm, and I always enjoy what I'm doing.
"You don't really show a profit (at first); you just keep increasing your necessary toys, the pieces of equipment. Every time you turn around the industry's changed; they're all expensive pieces. When you're getting going, it's almost scary," he said.
The thefts and vandalism have caused some people to take up security measures.
Earl Emerson of Newbury, who had his sap tank shot up by bullets on Saturday, also had a plastic tank shot up a couple years ago.
He said he believes he can get by with patching the tank for the rest of this season, but he'll have to replace it — at an approximate cost of $5,600 — next year. After this last vandalism, Emerson invested about $5,000 in security cameras in the hopes he'll catch the vandals.
"It's just purely vandalism," Emerson said. "I call them young punks wanting something … and if they catch it on camera, you better leave town."
Rheume said most of his equipment is secured with chains and cables, but the tank that was drained was not.
Mayer said for now, he has put a lock on the door to his sugar shack. "Hopefully it will deter somebody from just walking in," Mayer said. "It's upsetting and frustrating."
But it is neighbors who may end up being the sweetest asset in fighting these sugaring crimes.
"I hope that more and more people are on the lookout for things like (this)," Rheume said.
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