With local farmers offering to pitch in, the Giles Family Farm in Alfred isn’t going to let the Grinch or Grinches who stole more than 200 wreaths derail its annual holiday open house this weekend.

Wreaths valued at about $5,000 and the open trailer on which they were stacked were stolen from the farm some time late Friday night or early Saturday morning, farm co-owner Frank Boucher said.

Police have not said whether they have any leads on who might have taken the wreaths or where they might be now, Boucher said. Police told him that they believe someone in a small pickup truck hooked up the trailer and drove it off the farm, Boucher said. The trailer was parked on a section of the farm away from the main road, he said.

Stephen Gile stands Christmas trees Tuesday at the Giles Family Farm store in Alfred. More than 200 wreaths were stolen there late Friday night.

Stephen Gile stands Christmas trees Tuesday at the Giles Family Farm store in Alfred. More than 200 wreaths were stolen there late Friday night. Brianna Soukup/Staff Photographer

He said the robbery came at a bad time because the farm is getting ready for the open house, which is when it traditionally sells most of its wreaths, trees and other holiday items.

Boucher said workers are busy making more wreaths to replace the stolen ones, and other farmers and wreath-makers in the area have told him he can pick up theirs if it appears Giles Family Farm might run short for the open house at the farm on Route 202.

The open house is set for 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, he said. The farm also sells items from a roadside stand the rest of the week.

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Boucher said he hasn’t had to accept any of the offers from other farmers yet, but may need to if workers don’t manage to make enough wreaths before the weekend to replace those that were stolen.

Parts for wreaths lay in the back room at the Gile's Family Farm store, where employees and the owners are prepping for an open house this weekend. On Friday night 200 wreaths were stolen off a trailer behind of the store. (Photo by Brianna Soukup/Staff Photographer)

Parts for wreaths lay in the back room at the Giles Family Farm store, where employees and the owners are getting ready for an open house this weekend. Brianna Soukup/Staff Photographer

“We’re just trying to make as many as we can,” he said.

Ann Boucher, his sister, hopes that someone might give police a tip about the whereabouts of the stolen wreaths.

She posted a news story about the robbery on the Giles Family Farm Facebook page, with a note asking people to share the story “so that this ‘Grinch’ can be caught.” “We hope somebody will know something” and the wreaths can be recovered, she said.

Ann Boucher said the farm often works with other farms in the area the rest of the year, so she isn’t surprised that they’ve offered to help out following the robbery. “They’ve been very supportive,” she said.

 


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