A thief has been targeting vegetable patches at allotments in Felsted.

The site has been vandalised in recent weeks, with onions and lettuces pulled and left on the ground, but now produce is disappearing altogether with two thefts from one patch in the same week. Patch-owner, Louise Painter, 41, told the Broadcast: “I am a single parent and work is hard to find because of the hours; I am really struggling. We cannot afford to buy vegetables from the supermarkets, and I have even had to go down to the food bank recently.

“When you put all this effort in to feed your family and then someone does this, it is very upsetting.”

Louise tends to her vegetables as often as she can, but noticed some of her beetroots had gone missing in the week. The next day, July 23, they had all gone and she has since contacted the police.

As well as putting signs up, Louise has cut back foliage surrounding her plot in the hope that it will no longer hide any thieves.

She added: “I put my all into the

allotment and my neighbours will tell you that any spare moment I have I am working on it.

“Whoever is doing this may be in the same position as I am, but there is no need to steal from other people. I have been in tears about it and I am very distraught.”

INFORMATION: If you have any information, call police on 101.