In Buguias, Benguet, an intriguing incident known as "The Potato Heist" has unfolded. This captivating story revolves around a potato plantation located in Cotcot, Bangao, owned by Crispin Caslangen, a 22-year-old resident of Sebang, Buguias.
The story begins with Georjie Ricardo, who had previously supplied Caslangen with a batch of potatoes that were planted on July 11. However, on the morning of October 15, 2023, an unexpected discovery shook them. They found that a substantial portion of Caslangen's potato plants, estimated to cover around 100 square meters, had been dug up.
What's even more intriguing is that the culprits didn't just take the potatoes; they meticulously dug up approximately 200 kilograms of them, leaving behind only the smaller ones, akin to marbles. The estimated loss resulting from this potato pilfering is valued at more than P30,000.
Ricardo suspects that this daring robbery took place in the early hours, specifically around 2 or 3 a.m. The entire potato plantation spanned an area of about 800 square meters. Unfortunately, due to the impact of a prior storm, only a handful of plants had survived.
Crispin Caslangen, the owner, had been diligently tending to the remaining plants in hopes of recovering the costs and having something to share. With the current high market prices for potatoes, there was optimism for a significant return. However, the combination of a low harvest and this unexpected theft left them with nothing to share.
What makes this even more perplexing is the possibility that the culprits may have been farmers themselves, possibly competitors. The knowledge and precision in digging up the potatoes suggest an understanding of the trade, raising questions about the motive behind this daring act.
A theory arises that the thieves might have intended to add the stolen potatoes to their own load, perhaps for delivery to the city, further deepening the mystery surrounding "The Potato Heist."
But this isn't the first time something unusual happened in Buguias. A few months ago, in the same area, someone ruined a carrot field by spraying herbicide on it, causing a loss of about P100,000 for the affected farmer.
All these strange events have left the community puzzled. Local authorities are trying to find out who's behind "The Potato Heist." So, the mystery continues, and we're here to uncover what's happening in Buguias.
