EAST MONTPELIER — Police say sap buckets hanging from maple trees — a fixture of Vermont’s "sugaring season" — have been swiped by thieves in East Montpelier.

Vermont State Police Trooper Ryan Green says 25 galvanized metal buckets with lids and spouts were pulled from trees at the Bragg Farm Sugar House sometime between Monday and Wednesday.

The equipment, which had an estimated value of $175, was taken from trees close to a road.

Police are seeking tips to help find the culprit or culprits.

In late February or early March, warming weather triggers the flow of sap that’s collected in buckets or plastic tubing and then boiled down to make maple syrup.