Coronavirus: Food supplies for delivery stolen from Kent farm
© CAIA IMAGE/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY Food and drink supplies destined for people self-isolating have been stolen from a farm in Kent.
Street Farm Dairy in High Halden, Ashford, was broken into on Tuesday evening (24 March) and all the stock of bread, yogurt and juice was taken from the cold store.
In a Facebook post late on Tuesday, the farm said it was working to restock the stolen items as soon as possible.
See also: Farm shops introduce Covid-19 safety measures for customers
It said: “We are so, so sorry, but anyone who was expecting our lovely locally baked bread and yogurts won’t be able to have them delivered tomorrow. You of course won’t be charged for them.”
Farmer Steve Lynes said it was “sickening” when he discovered what had happened.
He told Farmers Weekly: “Those people who are vulnerable didn’t get what they needed. At a time when we are all under pressure and need to help each other through this national crisis, for this to happen is really disappointing.”
Most of the stolen items were due to be delivered to people self-isolating because of the coronavirus pandemic.
The farm delivers its dairy produce to the local area and was ready to offer bread with milk orders in response to customer requests, when the supplies were stolen late Tuesday.
The shop offered the additional bread delivery to support people in the local community, many of whom are elderly, during the health crisis caused by Covid-19.
Mr Lynes added: “Many of the orders were for the elderly and the sick, people who have been told they must stay at home.
“They are coming to us to ask for the basics, things like milk, eggs and bread, because they can’t go to the shops.”
The farmer, who has been running his business since 1990, said they were dealing with increased demand since the government’s social distancing measures were put in place.
Closures of schools and the majority of businesses now working remotely has seen supply routes for the farm’s milk cut off, but it is now delivering to large numbers of homes in the area.