One of a kind grape vines were stolen from the U of M test fields.

Everything indicates it was someone who knew a thing or two about the program, and even that these vines had been marked as particularly promising. My guess it is someone who is hoping to profit from either the sale of the vines, or more likely, planting, growing and harvest the fruits of someone else's labor.  The police are treating it as a theft of intellectual property.  I know it isn't uncommon these days to hear about companies trying to patent or trademark a particular plant variety, but I just find it hard to believe any plant is someone's intellectual property. Those particular vines were, but not their DNA.   I think this is a place where nature and modern science seriously clash, and what do pagans think of it?  Big companies are not only trying to claim ownership of strains that they have created, but some are trying to claim heirloom strains and require royalties for planing and harvesting.

In this case, the theft is clear, but not the way it is framed.   Personally, I think the concept of ownership has gone to far. But I don't know where to draw the line, either.