SPRINGVALE, Wis. — Two Beaver Dam residents were taken into custody Thursday after they admitted to stealing hemp flower on two occasions, believing that the plants were illegal marijuana plants.

A land owner in the Town of Springvale interrupted the theft of his legally grown and licensed industrial hemp plants on Sept. 12 and was able to obtain a license plate for the vehicle the suspects were operating. The land owner believed these same suspects had stolen approximately a dozen hemp plants from the land before, according to a news release from the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office.

Barbara Vant Hoff, 59, and Gregory Vant Hoff, 64, of Beaver Dam were taken to the Columbia County Jail and are awaiting their court appearances. Charges include two felony counts of criminal damage to property, two misdemeanor counts of theft and 2 trespassing to land counts.

Officials were able to recover approximately 10 pounds of the stolen hemp flower, which had an estimated value of $1,000.

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