Money box lock cut at local pumpkin patch - East Idaho News
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Money box lock cut at local pumpkin patch

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BLACKFOOT — A family says someone cut the lock on their pumpkin patch money box and they are hoping it’s just an isolated incident.

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Lock cut from money box. | Courtesy Richard Johnson

Richard Johnson told EastIdahoNews.com he has been running the produce farm with his family at Grove City Gardens for over 12 years. The farm is a “self-serve on your honor system” meaning anyone can come, get produce and put money in the box that’s provided.

“We’ve got a farm store in front of the house and it’s got a box that you put your money in. Up at the fields, we do u-pick for the pumpkins. Same thing, there’s a lockbox up there,” said Johnson. “We want to provide nice local produce for local people to get it at their convenience, so it’s pretty much a self-serve, on your honor which is pretty much open 24/7. Everybody’s got a busy life. We don’t have the time or the resources or the people to run a cash register.”

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U-pick pumpkin patch. | Courtesy Richard Johnson

Johnson said between Sunday night and Monday morning, someone cut the lock on their money box. There was no money inside since it had already been emptied by Johnson’s family. This is the first time this has happened and Johnson shared the experience on Facebook.

“The post is intended to just make people aware … We appreciate everybody in our community and the honesty of people so we can do a self serve,” he said.

The post on Facebook reads, “Our hidden cameras have you. I hope you chose to put money in the box to replace the lock and clear your conscience. To the people of our community, we love you and we know it’s a select few who try to make it more difficult for us all to life (sic) in a peaceful and wonderful valley.”

Johnson explained that he appreciates the communities support. He has replaced the lock on the money box and said he is moving on from what happened.

“Maybe it’s a little change of the times. I just hope people can teach their children, ‘Hey this isn’t the right thing to do” and hopefully people can learn from this and move on and just be good, honorable, upstanding, honest, high integrity citizens,” he said.

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