Thief steals 'first tomato' before auction

SMITHFIELD, Va., June 20 (UPI) -- An unknown thief allegedly stole the season's first tomato, intended for a charity auction this week, from a Virginia garden, church officials say.

On Saturday, Wayne Willis of Smithfield, Virginia, had to pick a replacement "designated first tomato" for auction, with fees going to the local Christ Episcopal Church, from his one-acre garden containing at least 21 varieties of fruits and vegetables, The (Norfolk) Virginian-Pilot reported.

For seven years Willis, a retired West Pointer, has nurtured his garden and auctioned the first ripe tomato from "Wayne's World" with the proceeds going to the church.

The bidders are members of "the family" meaning they have paid a set fee allowing them to pick anything and as much as they want from the garden all spring and summer, the newspaper said.

Frances Graham paid $40 for last season's first ripe tomato.

"It was a nice tomato," she said. "I ate it."

At this year's auction, someone put in a silent bid of $105.

"Frances, this is getting to be a tradition," Willis said.

"It's going for a good cause," she answered, and then, tradition being what it is, she added, "I'm gonna eat it!"