Sorry to put a downer on the party but I would like to make everyone aware of berry pickers operating in our area. Yesterday staff at Coleg Powys informed me that a group of people, apparently from Sweden, asked if they could pick the berries in the car park i.e the ones waxwing and other bird species are currently subsisting on. One member of staff also told me they had seen a couple of people "strip a tree of its berries" on Treowen estate on Weds night. It is thought the berries are for use in commercial cultivation.
Hopefully this is just a one off, however I have informed MWT this morning and Tammy has done an excellent job informing their staff and the council to be vigilant, just in case. Likewise, Please can you all keep an eye out for people picking berries on a large scale, especially this weekend when colleges, business estates etc are quiet.
Thanks to Chris for making this widely known. It is hard to believe that it is commercially viable to come from Sweden to do this, but we should all be alert to it. I am grateful to Tammy for the information that "it could be an offence under the Theft Act 1968 if it is without permission and for sale or commercial purpose" The last 5 words are critical, and there is more information at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-11584156
ReplyDeleteIf this happens during the week suggest best to immediately talk to Lee Davies the College Estate Manager - reception will get him for you. At the weekend when the College is closed up it may be worth calling Newtown Police
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