Armed cops battle cherry thieves

Police are using night-vision goggles to snatch cherry thieves. The brazen crooks cause nightmares for farmers by raiding their orchards at night, picking most of the fruit and then selling them at markets.

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But authorities have launched a "cherry war" — which includes watching farms at night — in a bid to protect the valuable crops.

One farmer, Sylvia Hristova, said her family relies almost entirely on cherry production to make a living, adding the iniative across Bulgaria had made their income safe this year. She added: "The cherries are our bread and butter after all."

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