Intruder with ax ruins 300 gallons of maple syrup, Vermont couple says

April McCullum | The Burlington (Vt.) Free Press

Show Caption Hide Caption Maple syrup making connects past to present in Shelburne Each spring, residents at Wake Robin in Shelburne take a vacation from their retirement, roll up their sleeves, and head out to the sugar house, where they gather sap, haul wood and boil to make dozens of gallons of maple syrup.

BURLINGTON, Vt. — A Vermont couple says someone entered their sugar house, smashed maple sugaring equipment, put holes into eight maple syrup barrels and stole 12 gallons of syrup this week.

Alan Mayer of Bristol told police that someone entered the sugar house sometime between Monday evening and Tuesday evening, according to a police news release.

In a telephone interview, Cindy Mayer said she and her husband had been preparing their products for an upcoming craft fair, where they do business as Mayer Maple Producers.

On Tuesday, they discovered holes in the bottling tanks, evaporator and pans, which Cindy Mayer said appeared to have been made with an ax.

“They just went through and trashed it, basically," Mayer said. She had no estimate of the damage.

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Mayer said eight maple syrup barrels were punctured, causing at least 300 gallons of maple syrup to leak out.

"That’s nearly an entire season's worth — an entire crop — it's on the floor over there," she said.

The intruder or intruders took 12 gallons of syrup, valued at about $40 per gallon, and left a Marlboro wrapper behind, Mayer said. She said she was in shock and could only offer that the acts may have been done by a "disturbed individual."

Vermont State Police are investigating.

Follow April McCullum on Twitter: @April_McCullum