• French farmer jailed over shooting
    22 replies, posted
My second news thread, the last one also involving a French gunman. Source: [url]http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20101222/ap_on_re_eu/eu_france_truffle_killing[/url] [quote]PARIS – French police have arrested a farmer who fatally shot a trespasser he suspected of trying to steal highly coveted truffles from his land on the edge of France's southern Provence region. The 32-year-old farmer told authorities he was guarding his truffle patch in the town of Grignan when he was frightened by the intruder and shot him in the legs and head with a hunting rifle, police said Wednesday. Police said the farmer believed the man was armed. The 43-year-old victim died shortly after Monday's shooting. Authorities did not release the names of either man. Truffles are a fungus found mainly in forests in France and Italy that grow underground, in the root systems of host trees. They are prized for their rich, earthy flavors and can fetch astronomical prices — making them a prime target for thieves. Didier Chabert, a local truffle-grower who has known the accused farmer for many years, said the man had already been hit by thieves two or three times this truffle season, which runs from December through March. "At this time of year, the thieves are waiting for the moon to grow so there is light at night, the thief comes at that time to steal truffles," Chabert said. French forests produce 50 tons of black truffles in a good year, but poor weather caused last year's harvest to drop to 25 tons, said Chabert, the former head of the local truffle-growers association. Demand for truffles peaks at Christmas time, when the French traditionally splurge on delicacies such as truffles, champagne, foie gras, prawns and oysters. Last year black truffle prices reached $600 a pound due to the shortage, Chabert said. The current price is just under $500 a pound. The head of another truffle sellers association said the problem of truffle theft has been growing. "In the past month, everyone around here has been robbed," said Michel Meille. "We went to the local officials and the police, but nothing was done." Meille said thieves have no trouble fencing the stolen tubers. "It's all done under the table," he said. Chabert said his truffle patch is a mile-and-a-half away from the accused farmer's. He inspects it every morning for truffle thieves' telltale footprints, but so far he hasn't caught one. He says he wishes his neighbor had come to him for help. "If we were two or three to watch the truffles there wouldn't be this problem," Chabert said.[/quote]
Looks like he sniffed out that crook.
That makes tons of sense...
he could have stopped at the legs
[QUOTE=DrMonumbo;26888706]Looks like he sniffed out that crook.[/QUOTE] Yeah let's just condone killing criminals like some sort of backwards middle-aged society :rolleyes: Oh sorry, didn't see that it was a pun as it wasn't overly funny.
Wow, you'd think he would have surrendered to the thief as soon as he saw him, and as the farmer walks over to the thief with his hands up, the thief freaks out and surrenders too. Then the cops come, see the two guys surrendering and get paranoid that it's an ambush and so the police surrender also. [QUOTE=sloppy_joes;26889288]Yeah let's just condone killing criminals like some sort of backwards middle-aged society :rolleyes:[/QUOTE] You missed it by a lightyear.
[quote]he suspected of trying to steal highly coveted truffles[/quote] French crime is exactly like I thought it was like.
-snip-
Did the farmer surrender, drop his gun and it fired when it hit the ground?
[QUOTE=Sobotnik;26889482]Did the farmer surrender, drop his gun and it fired when it hit the ground?[/QUOTE]He did it twice, since the thief was shot in the legs and head
Death for trespassing seems fair lol
[QUOTE=Shustriy;26889556]He did it twice, since the thief was shot in the legs and head[/QUOTE] I think not! [img]http://imgur.com/xyeaT.jpg[/img]
You best not trifle with that farmer's truffles.
[QUOTE=cecilbdemodded;26893327]You best not trifle with that farmer's truffles.[/QUOTE] Or the farmers rifle will put your body in a duffel
[QUOTE=AwpersAreBad;26889418]French crime is exactly like I thought it was like.[/QUOTE] They're also stealing oysters from sea beds.
Holy shit $500 for a pound?!
I know, with that kind of money involved I'm surprised they don't have a special breed of Truffle guard dog or something. I'd train my dog to quietly sneak up on the thieves, wait till they dig up truffles, then attack them. Once the thieves have dropped the truffles, the dog retrieves them and brings them back to me. Profit!
[QUOTE=Zeke129;26889621]Death for trespassing seems fair lol[/QUOTE] Implying he was only trespassing. You're point isn't wrong but you're exaggerating.
[QUOTE=aliendrone123;26911872]Holy shit $500 for a pound?![/QUOTE] Harvesting mushrooms is a very profitable business if you can do it correctly. For example... Theirs a mushroom in North America (mostly Maine/border lined Canada) which sells for $3000 each shroom because its used for food platters.
I wonder how Cafes are in Jail in France.
[QUOTE=AwpersAreBad;26889418]French crime is exactly like I thought it was like.[/QUOTE] Truffles are very very valuable and sell for quite a bit.
[QUOTE=Dr Kevorkian;26889364]Wow, you'd think he would have surrendered to the thief as soon as he saw him, and as the farmer walks over to the thief with his hands up, the thief freaks out and surrenders too. Then the cops come, see the two guys surrendering and get paranoid that it's an ambush and so the police surrender also. [/QUOTE] God damnit I laughed more than I should have, you are a genius
[QUOTE=sloppy_joes;26889288]Yeah let's just condone killing criminals like some sort of backwards middle-aged society :rolleyes: Oh sorry, didn't see that it was a pun as it wasn't overly funny.[/QUOTE] He said he thought the guy was armed. A guy was trespassing and stealing valuable things. More than enough reason to fear for your life. If I thought someone was armed, I wouldn't hesitate to pull the trigger. You sound like a panzy. I guess you'll surrender everything you own rather than put up a fight if someone puts the pressure on?
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