Jump to content

Recommended Posts

We live on Oglander Road and over the last few weeks we have had people stealing plants from our front garden.


The first time they took about 5 leaving behind 4 less healthy ones. We nursed these ones back to health only to have the three most healthy ones nicked a few days ago. Now only one not so healthy plant left, as soon as it perks up I fully expect it to be stolen too. I know it's not a huge crime but it is annoying. And all in daylight. First time they even left a plastic gardeners tray behind!


Edited to say at least they did it neatly. The first time they even filled in the holes.

Everyone should report plant thefts to the local police or 101... you can try to do it online, but I find the Met website dysfunctional.


This is a common pattern that's been going around for years now - a previous local sergeant used to call the thieves The Flowerpot Men. They steal residents' plants and then sell them at pop up plant stalls (sometimes as far away as Chelsea). As soon as one area becomes aware, The Flowerpot Men simply move to another area. I tend to keep ugly plants outside my house, which no one would want to buy...


The main reasons for everyone to report in tandem are a) once the police are aware that The Flowerpot Men are back, they can request night car patrols from the burglary unit. b) the police have actually found the plants in the past, so if they have a list of residents who have reported, they'll contact them to view the stash in order to reclaim plants that match the description of the stolen items.


The thefts usually stop when I've posted this message on the Forum in the past...

Hi ianr, the two boxes at the junction of Oglander and Grove Vale were funded by the Greener, Cleaner, Safer scheme by Southwark about four years ago. In return myself and another neighbour signed a contract with the council to look after them for three years. Four years on we are still watering, replacing plants that get stolen, clearing up the litter and booze bottles dumped in them and cleaning off the tagging when it happens. Can be depressing sometimes but It's worth it though and other neighbours join in the watering. People seem to like them and it was partly to slow down the fast cycle lads riding across the island and rounding the corner mowing down little old ladies... So it's traffic calming as well as a pollution barrier. PM me if you want more detail. Oh, and then there is the phantom flower picker who drives me a little crazy too.

That's good to know. Thanks for the info. It was the phantom flower picker that prompted me to ask. I remember seeing someone busy with a trowel on the beds about 9.45 one Sunday morning last year. I was slighly suspicious,, then thought it was much more likely to be neighbourly activity, but didn't feel up to stopping for a chat to resolve the uncertainty. And these things stick in the mind. :)


Really glad to see everything's getting some rain at last.

If it makes you less bothered about not chatting, if person had a trowel about their person it was probably us adding stuff rather than subtracting. The plant stealer does not go in for subtle things like garden tools and just seems to yank up newly planted stuff if it looks any good and the phantom flower picker just rips the flower stems off. I think I spotted her once and she just muttered about 'just taking a cutting for my garden' as she tore away the plant.

Sorry for the facetious post but I always wonder why people use the sarcastic or passive aggressive tone in the title of a thread. It makes me want to say "it was a pleasure". Reminds me of the episode of Captain Pugwash where he sees a poster which has his picture and a "wanted for piracy". So he turns up at the authorities as he thinks that the poster is a job advert. https://www.pinterest.co.uk/richardswift90/captain-pugwash/ {before anyone starts most of the 'suggestive' characters are an urban myth).


I see that there are other posts on this thread that are similarly of no value too!

malumbu Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Sorry for the facetious post but I always wonder

> why people use the sarcastic or passive aggressive

> tone in the title of a thread. It makes me want

> to say "it was a pleasure". Reminds me of the

> episode of Captain Pugwash where he sees a poster

> which has his picture and a "wanted for piracy".

> So he turns up at the authorities as he thinks

> that the poster is a job advert.

> https://www.pinterest.co.uk/richardswift90/captain

> -pugwash/ {before anyone starts most of the

> 'suggestive' characters are an urban myth).

>

> I see that there are other posts on this thread

> that are similarly of no value too!



Maybe in Captain Pugwash but not in Charles Dickens :)


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charley_Bates


Edit: and they say the term was obscure at the time but surely Dickens could have Googled it ;)

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Latest Discussions

    • Well that is good news… alternative would have been homeless or private.
    • I was lucky that I received a student grant from 1990-1995 first 3 years for degree and 2 years post graduate bursary. Both were based on my income and I did not have to pay back. Eldest daughter got student loan and after 20 years managed to pay it off, Youngest daughter still paying hers 18 years later. Granddaughter - still paying after 6 years. Grandson decided against FE and secured an apprentenship. I am glad that I am an old codger and not young anymore !
    • Thanks Jen22 for the very kind review!  Paul and I have been Oddbodding furiously and haven't had a chance to post an updated list of jobs we've been working on until now. So here it is 🙂 Demolition of 2 sheds, removal of large patio and levelling of total area to get it ready for garden room installation Internal decoration of above garden room External sash window decoration, including fixing of rotten joints (multiple) External decorative stone porch decoration Fix of broken metal front gate Shed base installation and build of garden shed Internal plastering fixes and significant water damage fixes, including tricky corners and hard to reach areas (multiple) Rotten window sills fixed and decorated Countless shelves, curtain rails and pictures hung Baths, sinks and showers resealed (too many to count) Dimmer switches (single, 2 and 3 way) replaced in multiple rooms  Toilet seats replaced (multiple) including sourcing correct fitting seats (not as easy as you'd think) Lots of kitchen cupboard doors re hung with new hinges if necessary Ikea units built and fitted (wall mounted or otherwise) Tricky fixes to loose door handles Repairing broken visible floorboards  Mounting of multiple flatscreen TV's  Intallation of super strong (kid proof) coat hooks on walls and other useful areas (eg outsides of cupboards) Innovative conversion of open shelf spaces to sleek enclosed cupboard spaces (even when doors purchased by client don't quite fit)  Servicing of kitchen cupboard doors and units Removal of hardwearing paint flooring in photography studio, ready for reinstallation of new floor including epoxy (coming soon) Carpet removal and disposal Wooden garden gate installation including sourcing bespoken gatepost to match existing Sourcing and installation of new double glazed window pane Fence panel installation, including sourcing bespoke size and tricky fix without encroaching on neighbours land New door and window locks installed  We pride ourselves on helping our clients find the best solutions to problems and we also offer a design consultsancy service. Please reach out to Iain on +447956877533 (WhatsApp best) if you would like some ideas about home improvements or to get a quote for any jobs. You can also check our insta https://www.instagram.com/oddbods_handy_services/ No job too big or small. Oddbods do it all!   Iain Oddbod   
    • It is not only Southwark - our grandson, partner and 7 year old had a one bed council flat for years in Harlow Essex and all the properties offered were in poor condition. They eventually took a property as if they refused another one they would drop to the bottom of the Housing List. It was damp and in need of a level of renovation. Having lived in these conditions for a while they were offered better council accommodation recently, but further away from child's school. They had to pay 2 lots of rent for a few weeks as council had to undertake work in the new premises before they could move in,
Home
Events
Sign In

Sign In



Or sign in with one of these services

Search
×
    Search In
×
×
  • Create New...