Bizarre Summerdale Thefts

The Summerdale Police Department says thieves used Tropical Storm Ida as cover to steal cattle...and pecans. As many as four cows were stolen from a local farm Monday night. Police say the thieves are also responsible for stealing one-thousand pounds of shelled pecans from a local harvester. The thefts happened in the middle of Baldwin County's mandatory storm curfew.

"I guess they figured with the storm, not many cars out, not many people looking," says Summerdale Police Chief Dwain Riebeling. "When you steal from somebody, it puts them in a bind."

Ronald Koptis says the cattle rustlers cost him more than a thousand bucks.

"It ruins your whole day, and the week as well. You know, we make our living out here and it's not good to see somebody come along probably in better health than we are and just take from you," says Koptis. "Baldwin County and the state had a curfew for the storm Monday night and honest people went to bed, but the dishonest people were out here doing mischief, stealing from us."

Police say the suspects could also be responsible for stealing more than one-thousand pounds of shelled pecans valued at one-thousand dollars from a nearby farm. Call the Summerdale Police Department if you know anything about the thefts.