Gardening: Stop Thief!!

I started a new flower bed for a client. Today I found half the new plants missing.

Plant theft is not that uncommon, but it never fails to enrage me.

It is not as if this client lives in a poor or needy area. The plants stolen were, fortunately, donations, so she didn’t lose any money.

So who would do such a thing? I have a few clients in the area, and it certainly is unlikely that any of them are culprits, since looking after their gardens is left to me. They have no need to pilfer plants!

This plant thief is a gardener. The plants were stealthily but carefully removed and the soil smoothed over to obliterate any signs of disturbance. Had there been holes I would have noticed much more quickly.

The thief is someone who lives in the area, and who walks along this street often. I would judge they are middle aged to a bit elderly and that they justify this theft as “Well, they had plenty, and won’t miss what I took”.

I plan to drop off flyers to everyone on the street, letting them know that there is a plant thief among them, and keep an eye out for loitering persons near their plants.

It is unlikely that they carry out their thefts in broad daylight, but I could be wrong.

When I volunteered in a local Park flowerbed, we had people coming by frequently digging up plants. If caught, they would justify by saying “This is a public park and I am a taxpayer” . Hmmmmmm.;-(

One of my Mums’ favorite sayings was “ God Helps those that help themselves” My Dad would counter with “God help the man I find helping himself …”