Theft of barn boards on old Hartwick Farm property under investigation

Bruce Edmunds of Kincardine is concerned that people are stealing boards off the barns at the old Hartwick Farm property, located along Bruce County Road 23 (B-line), just north of the Town of Kincardine.

As a result of Environmental Assessments done for development purposes, these buildings are registered with the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources for protection of barn swallows, said Edmunds.

"On behalf of the developer, on behalf of the owner, I placed 'No trespassing' signs on the buildings in 2016 because a few boards went missing in 2015 and 2016," he said. "On three occasions in 2017, boards have been stolen. The barn is very bare now and the birds may not come back." 

Edmunds speculated that the boards are being taken for someone's art, or as decorative wainscotting in someone's recreation room, or being used as kindling for a fireplace.

South Bruce OPP constable Kevin Martin, community services officer, said the police received a report on the theft of barn boards, Jan. 23, at 4:05 p.m. The theft took place between Jan. 2 and Jan. 23, and there is no estimate on how many boards were taken or the value of the stolen boards.

The investigation continues.