RICHMOND, Va. (WWBT/Gray News) – A Virginia farm owner says she never thought she would see her stolen Halloween items again, but that is exactly what happened.
Tammy Clarke said she had thousands of dollars worth of pumpkins and decorations stolen from the farm in the middle of the night on Oct. 19.
It was the second year in a row that Levi’s Pumpkins farm on Qualla Road in Chesterfield had been targeted.
This time, thieves made off with metal pumpkins, a homemade scarecrow, decorative lawn flags, and a wooden pumpkin stack decoration with sentimental value that had been hand-painted by Levi’s grandmother.
It was a devastating blow for Clarke, who lost her 41-year-old son, Levi, several years ago to COVID-19-related complications.
Some of the stolen items were special to him.
“My head was just spinning. I couldn’t believe it,” Clarke said.
The farm owner said things changed for the better when two men recently paid a surprise visit to the family farm.
“Two gentlemen were walking this way and asked if they could speak to the owner,” she said. “And me and my husband came out and they introduced themselves and just said they would like to apologize for taking our items. And for us to please forgive them for the foolish thing that they had done.”
Clarke said four young men showed up at her home and returned every item that was taken. They personally unloaded everything in the truck and helped put it all back in its right place.
“As they were unloading the truck, I just sat down and cried,” Clarke said. “I just said, ‘Thank you, God, for returning these items to us, and please make this a good lesson for these young men.’”
Clarke said they have also received an outpouring of support from the public since the items were stolen, buying tons of pumpkins.
Levi’s Pumpkins started the season with thousands of pumpkins and only 60 remained as of Monday.
“We’re hoping they find a home too, but you know, this is a good way to end our pumpkin season,” Clarke said.
She said neighborhood children have also sent the family notes of support.
“A little brother and sister wrote, ‘We are so sorry for the people who came and did bad things at your house. We love this pumpkin patch’,” Clarke said. “Complete strangers gave us gifts. They gave some of the garden flags that were stolen. And I was just so shocked.”
Clarke said two older gentlemen additionally dropped off a monetary donation to replace decorations that they had lost.
“And then we got a gift basket. That was just like such a surprise, just filled with little goodies,” she said. “It just makes you feel happy that there are really caring, concerned people out there.”
The Clarke family said they are grateful for the community’s outpouring of love and support in their time of need.
The farm owner said the family forgives the men who said they stole their items and will not be pressing charges.
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