Egg thieves ignore Daviot pensioner's honesty box
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An 87-year-old crofter has had several trays of eggs stolen from the entrance to her farm.
Joan Grant, who sells eggs from the gate of her farm at Daviot using an honesty box system, said that if she could have caught up with the two men in a grey car who lifted them, she would have given them a piece of her mind.
Mrs Grant, who uses crutches to walk, has sold eggs from her croft for more than 20 years, and in that time there have only been a handful of occasions that people have stolen from her.
“I’m busy watching out for foxes and now I’m worrying about thieves stealing my eggs or even money from my honesty box,” she said.
Mrs Grant, who keeps 150 chickens, said she hasn’t reported the theft of the 30 eggs to the police, because “it is a risk you take” when operating an honesty box.
“There is very little profit margin being a crofter, it’s more of a labour of love and a way of life,” she added.
Inverness South councillor Duncan Macpherson said: “It’s a despicable act by those who drove to a croft gate with the sole intention of stealing her eggs.
“I was very disappointed to hear this from Mrs Grant, when I stopped to buy her eggs.
“I tried to re-assure her by telling her that I know there are far more honest people than dishonest ones about.
“I hope that the good folk of Inverness South reading about Joan and her labour of love keeping hens, and all the unseen costs involved in keeping and feeding hens, might round up their contribution next time they’re purchasing her eggs, to help compensate for the few dishonest ones, who drove off without even paying.
“Acts of generosity like this would certainly restore her faith in local people’s kindness.”