Not an April 1st Story! The case of the missing legumes!

[ValA.]

We've just been the victims of a theft - yes us, not our friends' friend, or even someone our neighbours met on the journey!!! In the middle of the night we heard a noise, and got up to investigate, thinking it was an animal sniffing around, but couldn't see anything and all appeared quiet and nothing disturbed. This morning all looked normal at a cursory glance. This evening when we came back from a day sight-seeing I went to make dinner, and our old tatty (with a broken bottom) plastic crate of vegetables is missing from under the caravan! It must have been missing this morning as I'd thrown my 'water shoes' down at the point where the crate would normally be, having removed them from the outside drying rack this morning. I estimate the value of the said vegetables (probably five potatoes, a few carrots, some red and white onions, a clove of garlic, a few haricot verts) and the crate to be not much more than five euros!

Oh blimey!! Other half has just told me that he hid our £10,000 pounds worth of gold jewellery, and his best watch, in the bottom of the vegetable basket! Someone has been reading my 'where to hide things....................' post! (Joke!!!)
Seriously it's a bit disconcerting on a quiet campsite full of lovely people, miles from anywhere. We've made a few 'Home Alone' type booby traps up and rigged our outside light so it can be switched on from inside, but somehow I don't think we'll sleep soundly tonight. Nothing else of value was taken. Our canoe and paddles were lying outside the awning, we had two Lafuma type loungers, our mini-oven, double ring hob, outside fridge full of gin, tonic and white wine, a bottle bag with six bottles of red wine, several pairs of shoes, and our table and chairs! How strange that someone should covet an old green folding crate full of rather past their best veg!???!

 

[JoannaLesley]

Hi Val,
Yes - most odd! We, like you, generally leave all kinds of clutter around our van and awning and not just at night! We even go out and leave the windows open (too hot to shut everything up). So far, we've never had anything disappear, although we are pretty sensible with any valuables and we leave most stuff at home. Wine is always safe, as it is so inexpensive in France.
Could it have been an animal as you first thought? It's possible that something snuffling around managed to upend the plastic crate and toddled off wearing it. Badgers are pretty good at that kind of thing. As I'm not sure where you are, I can't guess what else might have liked your veg.
Perhaps you should fix up a camera and create your own wildlife movie?
Jo

 

[emmerson]

Perhaps its the same people/animal that pinched my car washing bucket and sponge, worth all of 1/6,(sorry,7.5p) from my yard last week! Its not even a proper bucket, just an old plastic paint pot, but it's gorn!
Sorry, seriously, I'm also inclined to think it was an animal, badger or fox, obviously something fairly sizeable to be able to do it.

 

[Gybe]

This forum should have "LIKE" buttons.
Great post Val.
Sounds like it could be a passing hungry vegetarian tramp who also needed something to sit on

 

[RayS]

Can't help with this one but lost some fish on site in spain one day. Fillets of dorado, had been in freezer until required, still in plasic bag, put on table outside to defrost before lunch.
Back from pre-lunch aperitifs (as one does) - no fish (no bag, no nothing).

Later reports of black cat seen dragging plastic bag full of something through pitches quite a distance away - can't get too upset about the enterprise and skill, but did miss the fish lunch.

 

[Gafferbill]

It is not widely known but there is a rare animal that could have been responsible for this theft.
They are thought to be more widespread than at first thought often stealing such ingredients
The culprit could be a Hughist Fearnley-Whittingstalltallis..... to give it it's proper name.