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Do people steal plants out of window boxes?

This morning around 6am I heard some low level scuffling outside (bedroom window open) but thought nothing of it - thought it was a dog or something. When I opened the blinds later I found that one of my window boxes was totally empty - my lovely red geranium has been taken clean out! A trail of petals and mud goes up the street a bit .... and then goes cold!

I loved that geranium :-(

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Do people steal plants out of window boxes?


Absolutely. Certain people will steal anything not locked down (and will bring bolt cutters and angle grinders for those, if the prize if right). They will also steal window boxes themselves!


Sorry for your loss, of course.

There have been several plant/pot thefts in Nunhead recently.


Including from the front of a house on Nunhead Green, in broad daylight.


I had all my window boxes stolen one afternoon a few years back. It was just before Mother's Day. The police said the thieves had been going round the area in a van taking plants.


Like VR_SE22 I heard a sort of scraping noise at the front, and thought nothing of it. I had a lodger at the time, and he came back from work and asked where the window boxes were :(

I had two window boxes of geraniums stolen from my front windows in May. I was so annoyed that I called 101 and reported it and was given a Crime Reference number, so at least our ward stats will reflect what's happening in the area.


We used to have a local sergeant who called these thieves The Flowerpot Men... apparently, as per above, they drive around areas of London in a white van and steal plants from front gardens to sell at "pop up" flower markets.


From memory, some East Dulwich plants were found at a flower stall in Chelsea(!) several years ago and stolen goods were returned to residents who had reported.

A quick thank you to everyone who has posted back on this thread - I thought I was going a bit mad accusing a person (as opposed to a fox or squirrel) for stealing my geranium! Totally crazy that The Flowerpot Men actually exist.

Solidarity to all fellow window box victims out there!

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