Farmers are urged
not to arm

A forum will discuss how
to protect crops with theft
on the rise

The problem of agriculture theft is so bad that it has forced some farmers in Hawaii out of business, said Dean Okimoto, president of the Hawaii Farm Bureau.

"It is a problem, and if you want these commodities that are grown locally to stay in there, it's an important issue that we try to curb this," said Okimoto, owner of Nalo Farms in Waimanalo.

But Okimoto, law enforcement and city officials said farmers should not take the law into their own hands. They are sponsoring a forum to help answer questions from farmers about what they can and cannot do to protect their crops and equipment.

The forum will be held 7 p.m. Tuesday at the Mission Memorial Auditorium next to City Hall and will include a presentation by law enforcement on how to prevent agricultural theft.

"We're here to be able to answer questions on what's appropriate and not appropriate in terms of self-defense and self-help," said city Prosecutor Peter Carlisle.

Kahuku farmer Khamxath Baccam is awaiting trial for allegedly killing a man he believed was stealing produce from his farm last year. Baccam is charged with second-degree murder in the slaying of Marcelino Pacheco Jr.

"We've been hearing more stories of farmers keeping guns on the farm and packing firearms. We don't advocate things like that," Okimoto said. "If we can help the situation by passing laws that will help the prosecutor and police curb the incidents of (agriculture) theft, I think that's the better way to go."

Carlisle said it is difficult for police to respond to agriculture theft because the crimes usually occur in large areas. He said the state's crystal methamphetamine drug problem is contributing to the issue. "They'd steal anything. If it's not tied down, if it moves, it breathes, if it grows, it'll be stolen," Carlisle said.

You Soukeseum said his farm in Kahuku has been hit three times this month by men armed with knives and golf clubs entering property and causing problems for his farm and workers.

City Council Chairman Donovan Dela Cruz said he put in the current budget 12 police officer positions for the Wahiawa and Kahuku police stations to help respond to agriculture theft reports.

Okimoto said the thefts are costing the agriculture industry millions. He said there have been farmers who have gone out of business because of the thefts, including an areca palm farmer in Waimanalo and the growers of Kau oranges.