HARRISONBURG VA: (Rocktown Now) – Timber theft is becoming an issue in Virginia, but what exactly is timber theft? Simply put, it involves stealing trees from private land.

Virginia Cooperative Extension is warning absentee landowners to regularly check their woodland properties. A new publication from Virginia Tech indicates timber theft is a real issue in the Old Dominion. Approximately 22% percent of Virginia’s landowners are absentee. And when no one is there, timber thieves move in and take all the valuable hardwood trees they want, often completely unnoticed. Absentee landowners are encouraged to get advice on the topic from trustworthy sources such as a professional forester or their local extension agent.