The old barns scattered throughout Kentucky have stood for hundreds of years, but many have been torn apart in recent years by thieves harvesting them for their popular weathered wood, the Courier Journal reports.
Planks and doors are frequently ripped off of the buildings, and many have been stripped down to their frames and aluminum roofs. The historic barns have been an easy target, as they are often positioned in secluded fields with little lighting at night, when most thefts occur. Law enforcement has been struggling to keep up with the crimes.
The thefts have become so common that purchasers of reclaimed products in the state have begun requiring W-9 tax forms from suppliers, according to the report.
âThatâs how we keep everything legit,â Mike Serafini of Old World Timber told the Journal. Sellers of barnwood can make thousands of dollars per sale of the product depending on its thickness and condition of the wood.
Kentucky has more old barns per square mile than any other state, according to the Journal.
