By Jessica Kenley

GALETON — The owner, Mike Levitzke, of Jay Bird’s Herbs–a small farm stand located just outside Galeton–says a theft at his business has left his family concerned about security and frustrated by what he believes are limitations in the response available to rural business owners. 

About the history of his farm, Levitzke explained, “It used to be a cow farm…Mother Nature took over…” He said, about how much work they have put into the property– “And we basically gutted the house…and renewed the land–it’s been a lot of blood, sweat, and tears.”

“We’ve lived here for four years, and we kinda brought it back to life,” he says, of restoring the farm land, during a phone interview on May 19th, the day the robbery happened.

Levitzke also mentioned that last year’s flood saw them standing in three feet of water in their basement.

The family farm sells eggs from their 70 chickens, homemade breads, herbal products, tinctures, and other farm-produced goods from a self-service stand located on their property. 

Mike, who operates the farm stand with his wife, Alexandra, and their young son, reported that money was taken from their farm stand’s cash box during the morning hours.

According to Levitzke, the farm stand was opened as usual shortly after his son left for school “a little after eight.” 

While sitting on his front porch having his morning coffee, talking to his wife on the phone, he noticed a vehicle pull into the property and park unusually close to the stand. 

“He pulled all the way up to the shop, and he pulled up that way to conceal what he was doing from the porch…There were tire tracks in our yard…There’s a blind spot, so you can’t really see the shop exactly from our front porch, but you can see who’s coming in the driveway.”

“It just didn’t seem right,” Levitzke said. “The way the vehicle pulled in and then left made me suspicious.” 

For context, Levitzke’s house is “about 200-250 feet from the shop,” according to him, and he has two dogs, who he had put in the house when he saw what he thought was a customer drive up.

“I can see straight down the driveway,” he said, while noting that this person had come to the farm stand unusually early in the morning.

“I saw him…speed backwards a little bit, and do a real erratic turnaround in my driveway, and he whips around in the driveway, going toward [Route 6], and he goes to pull out, and he rides the shoulder for a solid 50-60 feet…and then he’s stopping and going, stopping and going…and then I see three other vehicles behind him, an SUV, a big pickup truck, and another vehicle slowing down because he whipped out in front of these people,” said Levitzke.

He then told his wife that something was wrong, who he had been talking to on the phone, and started walking toward the stand. He discovered that the lock had been removed from the cash box. He said that $61 was missing, but that a $20 bill was all that was remaining in the box, according to the log he keeps next to the cash box.

“It wasn’t bolted down, so that was our mistake,” he said, somehow blaming himself for what is clearly a wrong done against him and his family.

Levitzke said the business operates largely on an honor system, something he felt was still possible in a rural community. 

“We didn’t have cameras,” he said. “You don’t expect something like this to happen.” 

Later that afternoon, Levitzke said he was working in a greenhouse on the property when he observed what he believed to be the same, very dirty vehicle return, which was a Jeep Compass.

“I was watering in the greenhouse, you know, keeping my head on a swivel, and all of a sudden [I heard] people pulling up, because we have a gravel driveway, and it sounded…it sounded more aggressive.”

“And I poked my head out of the greenhouse window and see the same vehicle, the Jeep Compass, parked further up, closer to my shop, and I see the guy getting out of his car, walking up to my shop!”

When asked to describe the man, Levitzke said that he was “twice my size,” had a “big red beard,” and “sported Nazi tattoos on his neck.”

He continued, “So I immediately drop my hose, and I go to run out of the greenhouse and to go up and confront the guy, and he sees me coming out of the greenhouse, and jumps back in his car, and he whipped out of the driveway, and then hightailed it down [Route] 6.”

“I was completely flabbergasted, and I couldn’t believe that he showed up again,” he said, describing how he ran down the driveway after the vehicle, but that it had sped off.

Local Galeton Police do not have “jurisdiction” where Levitzke lives, even though his address reads “Galeton,” is what he was told, by the police, therefore, this incident would be a State Police matter.

The Police Chief of Galeton advised Levitzke to contact the State Police, but just as he was going to make the phone call, he saw a PA State Trooper car coming toward his house, so he flagged him down. 

After telling the police officer the story, the Trooper responded, “Well, did you tell him not to come?”

Levitske said he scoffed at the man, and said, “Like–am I supposed to confront this guy? Like, what the–??”

The police officer then asked if he had cameras, which he did not.

The officer collected information about the incident and advised him to install additional security measures, including cameras. 

“The cop quite clearly explained that I can’t do anything, that filing a report was a moot point, you know. It’s not solving anything…So, if he comes into my shop, and I go out there, and an altercation happens–and there’s no camera, right?–what would end up happening is that I would be the one at fault because there is no proof that this guy came in to rob my shop again…which I am not okay with at all,” said Levitske.

“So this guy steals my money, and my sense of security, and I’m at fault for it,” was how Levitske summed up the situation.

“I am a firearm owner, but we don’t live in the Wild West here,” Levitske said. “It’s a hunting rifle and a pistol, you know, and a shotgun for hunting and flock protection.”

The State Trooper then told him, “Unfortunately, I can’t do anything, because I don’t have proof.”

As if Levitske telling him the story of what actually had happened just minutes ago, in real time, was not “proof.”

Levitske exclaimed, “So I can’t do anything? If this guy tries to rob me again?” 

“I took pictures of the licence plates, and I took pictures of the vehicle. I just did my due diligence,” he said.

The police, however, did nothing.

“I said, you know, this guy just left on 6 headed that way, you could probably catch him right now,” said Levitske. 

But the State Trooper had different idea.

“They told me to put up “No Trespassing” signs at my place of business…which is crazy,” Levitske said. “People are supposed to come here.”

Levitske then went to Wellsboro to purchase a new doorknob and a new money lock box, which is now bolted to the wall.

While acknowledging the challenges law enforcement faces when evidence is limited, Levitzke said the experience left him feeling vulnerable and unsafe.

“This isn’t just about the money,” he said. “It’s about feeling safe at your home and business.” 

“You know, I don’t know if that guy’s got a gun, I don’t know if he’s got a knife, he’s completely drugged out of his mind…and the fact that he’s double my size–it doesn’t really rub me the right way.”

The family has since installed new locks and plans to add security cameras to the property. 

Levitzke said support from community members has been one positive outcome of the experience. After sharing information about the incident online, he received messages from residents who expressed concern and offered information they believed might be helpful, which corroborated his timeline of events.

“People care,” he said. “That was encouraging to see.” 

People in the community cared, but the Pennsylvania State Police did not.

“Basically…for lack of more words, no help. It was a, “Call if he shows up again,” or you have to verbally tell him that you’re not to be here, and that’s it. And, I’m sorry, but that’s absolutely comical, because, with the facts, with the size of this guy–he’s got a criminal record, he’s done time. And to risk your life for that, that’s ridiculous,” said Levitske.

“I sat, waiting for my son to get home from the bus, for an hour and a half, with my…pistol sitting in my lap,” he asserted, sounding exasperated.

“When I got back from Wellsboro, the Jeep was parked right across from the police station,” said Levitske.

“I felt pretty violated today, and pretty let down by the State Police, because I don’t have a sufficient security system up there,” Levitske concluded.

For now, the family hopes increased security measures will prevent future incidents and allow them to continue focusing on the business they have worked so hard to build. 

Jay Bird’s Herbs offers farm-fresh eggs, homemade baked goods, herbal products, and other locally produced organic items from its roadside stand just outside Galeton. 

In closing, Levitske emphasized, “This is not about money. This is about a sense of security, right? This is our hard work of products that we’ve grown, made, put together, curated, and then are trying to sell. This is more than 60 bucks. This is a sense of security in our own community.”

What happened after the police did nothing about the original incident, was this:

This man, a well-known drug addict and felon, was able to then terrorize the town of Galeton ALL DAY LONG, crashing into things with his vehicle, and speeding around for no reason.

This behavior kept up for 12 SOLID HOURS, until he finally totaled his vehicle, and then was arrested for driving while intoxicated. 

So, essentially, this man held the small, rural town of Galeton, where approximately HALF of the children of the town live right in the center, by the school, HOSTAGE for TWELVE HOURS, while state police did NOTHING AT ALL TO HELP.

THIS is what our tax dollars pay for.

When we need real help in Potter County, the State Police, it seems, do nothing at all–and then blame the problem on us.

For a note of reference: Potter County is a training ground for PA State Police. When the Officers complete their work at the Academy, they are shipped to Potter County in order to teach them how to “police” for the entire state.

These are facts that can be easily verified by anyone who has access to the internet.