Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — A local businessman has filed a Department of Public Safety (DPS) complaint against a male individual who stole a wheel barrow containing fresh produce (cucumbers) last week Tuesday from an Asian farmer. The man was caught on the security camera system, which was given to police. The total amount of the stolen items is estimated to be around $470.

The local businessman became involved in the case when the Asian farmer called him to please help him file the complaint. A copy of the complaint was emailed to Samoa News, and it’s dated July 16, 2024.

According to the local businessman, Richard Satele, his main concern and the reason he filed the complaint is because of what he alleges is the scheme of theft involving produce stolen from plantations and then sold to open market stalls, who in turn sell it to the public.

He alleges that “I've made every attempt with the police with a lot of evidence showing the police the culprits who are involved in this scheme of theft, and nothing has been done.”

Mr. Satele said it’s been going on for a while now. He alleges that some of the roadside stalls are buying stolen produce such as taro, green bananas, ripe bananas, breadfruit, eggplant, Chinese cabbage, sweet potatoes, lemons, papayas, etc. and reselling the produce, mixed in with their own — like the produce is all from their own lands or plantations.

He said he has inquired to the Department of Commerce (DOC), Department of Public Health (DPH) and the Department of Agriculture (DOA) about the issue, and was told that a stall owner/ seller cannot buy or sell any food/ produce without proof of farmland operations, proof of DOC permits or license and DPH permit — in other words permits and business license must be displayed.

Mr. Satele advises all those buying from the roadside stalls to look for the necessary paperwork being displayed or you could be helping thieves sell their illegal produce.

He further pointed out that the stolen produce could also have a nasty side-affect — where pesticides have not been washed’ off before being sold — as the thieves are only interested in off-loading their ill-gotten gain as fast as possible, and the stall owners are only interested in making a profit. So make sure you wash the produce before using if you decide to go ahead and buy the possibly stolen produce.

And then there’s the whole “karma” vibe — Is it healthy for your soul to eat stolen produce?