Pumpkins vandalized at farm recovering from Irene

Posted at: 10/08/2012 10:16 AM | Updated at: 10/08/2012 6:37 PM
By: Andrew Murphy

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EAST GREENBUSH – A squished squash along 9J is a remnant of Thursday night's pumpkin prank at Gold Krest Farm.

"It really makes me mad, pisses me off," explains Gold Krest's owner, Chris Webb.

According to police, two carloads of people rolled, pushed and carried dozens of 30 to 50 pound pumpkins and used them to build a barricade across the 55 MPH street and then...waited.

"I expect a kid to come by and take a pumpkin but destroying stuff is horrible," explains Webb.

Thing is, investigators say, the culprits weren't kids.  The passerby who alerted the farmer and his son held Nicholas Sousa and Christina Adams until police arrived.  Police say Daniel Weidman escaped but was arrested later.  All three are in their twenties.

"You can't put an age limit on misconduct or stupidity," said East Greenbush Police Chief Chris Lavin.

A young college student drove head on into the mess.  She wasn't hurt but her car was--thousands of dollars in damage.

"This behavior is fool-hearted, dangerous, intended to cause panic," adds Lavin.

The driver isn't the only one who suffered a loss.  The Webbs estimate a hit--also in the thousands--to their profits.

"After you have years when you can't control the weather you finally get a decent crop and people just come in and smash it," Webb explains. 

The Rensselaer County farm lost much of their equipment and many crops last year during Tropical Storm Irene.

Witnesses tell police there were more people in the car so if you have any information on who may have participated, the East Greenbush Police Department wants to hear from you.