New South Wales police are investigating the alleged theft of 400,000 oysters from a farm on the state's mid-north coast. Approximately 320 bags of juvenile oysters, with an estimated value of $350,000, were reportedly taken from a farm in Scotts Creek, Oxley Island, earlier this year.
Latitude 31 Oyster Co, which runs a Sydney rock oyster farm on Manning River, confirmed it had been the target of a "massive" oyster theft and reported it to police. The company stated that the theft impacts businesses, families, and the reputation of the NSW oyster industry.
The stolen oysters were not ready for immediate sale and would need to be grown for an additional four to six months. Police received a report of the theft on Tuesday morning and are asking the public with CCTV or dashcam footage to come forward. A crime scene has been established, and investigations are ongoing.