A small Pennsylvania farm is recovering from significant financial losses and property damage following a carjacking incident that occurred earlier this month. The incident left an employee injured and a van carrying a fresh harvest of produce ruined.
Hank Whittenberg, owner of Hayday Farms, told Fox News that the event was "surreal." The carjacking happened when an employee was stopped at a traffic light en route to a Philadelphia farmer's market. A man allegedly attacked the employee, who suffered a black eye, and then took off with the van.
Bensalem police recovered the damaged van two days later. The vehicle sustained damage, equipment was stolen, and the produce inside, including cantaloupes, tomatoes, and corn, was left to rot. Whittenberg reported that the thief also stole the farm's cash box and a supply of honey.
Whittenberg estimated that it could take several weeks before the van is operational again. The combined losses from the damaged vehicle, stolen equipment, and spoiled produce amount to thousands of dollars.
Following the incident, Whittenberg launched a GoFundMe campaign after encouragement from supporters. As of Monday, the fundraiser had garnered over $11,000, with Whittenberg expressing his gratitude for the community's support. "We’re stunned with the response and just overwhelmed," he said. "It really lets me know how much Philadelphia really stands behind us. It's really remarkable."