‘More every year’: Increasing thefts taking toll on local apple orchards
Posted Oct 23, 2025 10:22:44 AM.
Last Updated Oct 23, 2025 01:16:30 PM.
One of the staples of the fall fun is continuing to battle through a disappointing trend: increasing thefts at regional apple orchards.
It’s not the only area seeing this stark trend across the region, as Waterloo Regional Police Service (WRPS) kicked off a retail crime safety blitz back in September.
Police stated they saw disturbing trends in overall theft, including a 36 per cent increase in retail theft incidents between 2023 and 2024.
“We see a lot of apples going out in their hands or pockets,” said Tyler Downey of Downey’s Apple Farm. “You also see people trying to steal like our little pumpkins, which are ‘munchkins’. I don’t know if it’s an entitlement thing or people just get a thrill from stealing, but it’s more and more every year.”
He said the local orchard sees those thefts in different ways, with those “bad apples” finding different ways to make off with their products throughout the season.
“Stroller is a big one, diaper bag is a really big one, putting a blanket over something. They could even put them over our fence at the front of our property, they throw them in the ditch and try and pick them up later. There are lots of different ways.”
More than anything, Downey said that it’s been disappointing to see the growth of this trend impacting orchards across the region. He mentioned that it’s been tough to watch through what would otherwise be seen as a fun-filled time of year.
“We walk the rows at night, and we’re seeing upwards of 40 per cent of waste between people picking an apple, throwing it on the ground, or dumping bags because they don’t want to have to pay for it, which sucks,” Downey said. “Some days (I think), ‘why am I even doing this?'”
Like many, Downey is now having to work to find solutions to the growing problem. Unfortunately for those honest customers looking to pick apples during the fall season, it may come at a bit of a cost in future years.
“There are always different things you can do. We just look at putting up our price every year-over-year. That should reduce some of the people who are just coming to steal, right? They’re not willing to pay that price to go in. Hopefully, they don’t come in if they’re having to pay more money than they’re not stealing.”
Looking ahead, there’s still a week left of the harvest season to go for Downey’s Apple Farm, along with other orchards across Waterloo Region.
He said he hopes to cap off the year on a high note, mentioning that visitors can use code PUMPKINS20 for 20 per cent off at Downey’s Apple Farm throughout the coming weekend.
