Simon Deleon Guerrero with Kumoi Farms received a call last Thursday night from another rancher about his cows seen on the road near Obyan on Saipan. 

He and his family went to guide them back to the farm.

“We thought it was just a regular, you know, cows escaping from the fence because it is dry season. Not until the next morning about 6 a.m. when I came to water the plants and give the cows water when I noticed that our padlocks were tampered with and our gates to come in were opened and when I checked the produce a lot of our watermelons that are soon to be harvested were stolen, maybe about 75 to 100 pieces,” said Delon Guerrero. 

He called the authorities and the investigation is ongoing. But Deleon Guerrero has experienced this before and he is not alone.

“This is not the first time something was stolen. About a year ago we had about 20 cattle that were stolen. The other farmers in Marpi, their cows are getting stolen. Even here in the southside, all our neighboring ranchers their cows have been stolen,” he said.

He often gives away the crops he grows and welcomes students to his piggery to learn about agriculture and sustainability.

“I do this with my family, my kids. It is kind of disappointing because we teach them to work hard and they look forward to harvesting the watermelons…so the kids are upset, they are heartbroken,” he added. 

He has this message to share with the community.

“If you know somebody selling produce, selling livestock and you know they are not a farmer and they are selling something that they do not grow or raise at a very cheap price, give the police a call. We are farmers, we are trying to do an honest living,” he said.