Plant theft Oglander Road

[healer]

It must be very common for plants to be stolen all around East Dulwich. I live in Upland Road and had two topiary plants stolen in their tubs.They were very heavy so it must have been a two person job. I was shocked but have since found out that this is common.

I now chain up my plant pots at the front of the house and buy cheap less showy plants. I also chain up my hanging baskets.

So sad that people will steal our lovely plants that we are trying to make our area look nice,

[JaneB]

We recently moved to Oglander Road and clearly spent far too much on our front garden! Two pots were stolen within a fortnight of moving in, 4 shrubs a week or so ago and to top it all a tree today. I've now moved the other 2 trees to the back of the house but my denuded flower bed still offers some opportunity for theft. Rumour has it that the culprit is known and not deterred by cameras. It's rotten for everyone that the street view can never be improved and really depressing that we can do nothing to stop it.

I don't suppose anyone saw someone struggling to remove an ornamental tree from a raised flowerbed this morning, we think between 10 and 11?

[KidKruger]

Get another large plant in another large pot, put it in your front garden with a tracking device in the bottom of the soil, set-up a hidden camera and see what happens overnight.

[Sue]

KidKruger Wrote:

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> Get another large plant in another large pot, put

> it in your front garden with a tracking device in

> the bottom of the soil, set-up a hidden camera and

> see what happens overnight.

I like your thinking, KK! Especially the tracking device! Genius! (Well, depending how much they cost ....._

[Penguin68]

Let's hope the theives don't read the forum...

[KidKruger]

If they do Penguin they may politely PM you to correct your spelling !

[Amy D]

May I suggest you plant Berberis, Sea Buckthorn, Hawthorn, Blackthorn, Rubus, Gorse, or the very attractive Ribes speciosa, all of which are so spiny your thieves will rue the day. Or Euphorbias, which will give them a nasty rash and hopefully get in their eye.

[Sue]

:))

[Froglander]

Amy D Wrote:

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> May I suggest you plant Berberis, Sea Buckthorn,

> Hawthorn, Blackthorn, Rubus, Gorse, or the very

> attractive Ribes speciosa, all of which are so

> spiny your thieves will rue the day. Or

> Euphorbias, which will give them a nasty rash and

> hopefully get in their eye.

Don?t plant Euphorbias if you have animals going in your garden, either domestic or wild as it will cause them great harm.

[Sue]

Froglander Wrote:

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

> Amy D Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > May I suggest you plant Berberis, Sea

> Buckthorn,

> > Hawthorn, Blackthorn, Rubus, Gorse, or the very

> > attractive Ribes speciosa, all of which are so

> > spiny your thieves will rue the day. Or

> > Euphorbias, which will give them a nasty rash

> and

> > hopefully get in their eye.

>

> Don?t plant Euphorbias if you have animals going

> in your garden, either domestic or wild as it will

> cause them great harm.

It will also cause you and your kids great harm if you get euphorbia sap on your skin, especially if you then get sunlight on it.

Most massive blister I have ever had in my life :(

[Angelina]

I think some cameras would pick it up, especially someone walking up the road with a tree - neighbours must have some and a neighbourhood scheme could help here

[yorksgirl]

Ribes speciosum and the other spiny plants suggested by Amy D are also a great idea because they provide a refuge from cats for garden birds.

Maybe we should write our names and postcodes on the bottom of pots and planters with an indelible pen? That's going to kill their resale value. Even if it gets painted over it's going to alert people that these are likely to be stolen goods. Especially if someone is trying to sell a whole load of them. Have meant to get round to doing this myself for ages.

I understand the police these days are on instruction only to investigate thefts of ?500 plus in value - don't have an official source but local criminal lawyer told me this. Also I guess it is going to be pretty impossible for them to identify anyone's garden plants unless they are very unusual. And there are children being stabbed to death on the streets every day so I guess gardeners are low priority.