French farmer jailed in shooting over truffles

[December 22, 2010]  PARIS (AP) -- Police say they have arrested a farmer on the edge of France's fabled Provence region who fatally shot a trespasser he suspected of trying to steal highly coveted truffles.

The 32-year-old farmer told police he was guarding his truffle patch in the town of Grignan when he was frightened by the intruder and shot him in the legs and head with a hunting rifle.

Police said Wednesday that the farmer believed the man was armed. The 43-year-old victim died shortly after the shooting Monday

Nicknamed "diamonds of the kitchen," truffles are a fungus that mainly grows in forests in France and Italy. They are prized for their heady fragrance and rich, earthy flavors, and can fetch astronomical prices.

[Associated Press]

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