farm when he appeared in Magistrates' Court yesterday.

The heist represented a loss of over $4,000 to farmer Roland Hill but 40-year-old Brian Percival Gibbons of Rose Hill, Southampton denied he was the culprit.

The alleged incidents took place between last December and this January and included thefts of 4,000 pounds of pumpkin worth $3,600, 150 pounds of broccoli worth $202.50 and 200 pounds of broccoli worth $270.

Gibbons admitted two smaller thefts from Alan Bean in Somerset last month. He pleaded guilty to stealing sweet potatoes worth $12, one head of cabbage and four carrots worth $18, but denied a third charge of stealing seven heads of broccoli.

Senior Magistrate Archie Warner warned Gibbons that in agricultural terms the charge would be considered very seriously and that he "could have his hands cut off''.

Mr. Warner did not sentence Gibbons and advised him that the whole matter would be dealt with at his trial in June. Gibbons was released on $1,000 bail.