Silly beer news of the day: Three Prince Edward Island residents were arrested this weekend after breaking into a hop farm and causing extensive damage. The reason? They apparently thought the 20-foot tall hop bines were the world’s most massive marijuana plants, and were trying to steal themselves the stash of the century. The story was initially reported by local P.E.I. organization CBC News.
According to the story, on the afternoon of Saturday, Nov. 26, police responded to a complaint from a hop farmer, who had seen intruders on his property. When police arrived, they found two men and one woman who were taken into custody, who had already caused “extensive damage” to the farm’s crop, which was packaged for shipping. Their excuse to police? “The three adults told RCMP members that they thought there was marijuana growing on the farm.”
One might be able to understand the confusion if these were say, middle-aged residents, but the fact that the only member of the three whose age is disclosed was 23 is a bit confusing. Hops and Marijuana are closely related species … but honestly? The plants grow in completely different ways, and one would assume that a cursory glance at the farm or any familiarity with pot plants would show the different between a bush and a tall, climbing vine.
According to the CBC News story linked above, “charges of break, enter, theft and mischief, and two counts of breaching court orders have been laid against one 23-year-old man, who was held in custody over the weekend. Two others were released and are scheduled to appear in provincial court later.”
Perhaps they should have just stuck to beer as their depressant of choice?