Plant pirates are stealing flowers right out of Londoners' gardens

Some London homeowners are beefing up security in their front yard after thieves began digging plants right out of their gardens.

Several Londoners, including some in the Wortley and Argyle neighbourhoods, say they think plant theft is on the rise.

"It sounds silly because it's just plants, but it's very violating," said east London resident Sarah Hern, whose marigolds and calendulas were among the plants stolen overnight this past Sunday.

"It makes me feel gutted when I put this much effort into something, design it and get the colour all right, then come out to enjoy it in the morning and something's missing."

Sunday's incident was the latest in a series of four plant thefts in Hern's front lawn over the last month. Each time, she said, the thief takes a cluster of flowers near the front corner of her garden bed, then moves the mulch around to cover up the holes in the dirt.

"I'm out about $100 between all the varieties that have been taken, including a basket, but then you have to think of the fees of cameras as well," said Hern, pointing to the two security cameras she installed after the first theft in May.

Others on Hern's street told CBC News this has become a common problem in the neighbourhood, with multiple people missing garden plants, hanging baskets, potted planters and gardening supplies. Based on combined security footage, Hern said some neighbours think the same thief is stealing all their plants.

"They're coming wearing gloves with a little trowel and their face is obscured by a hood, so they're definitely just a night prowler guerrilla gardener," she said.

London police said they have not had any calls about plant theft in the city this year, but affected Londoners are welcome to report it.

"People could report that as a theft occurrence either through the non-emergency number or by reporting it online," Sgt. Matt Dawson said in an email.

Hern said she thinks the thief in her neighbourhood might be looking for cheap ways to get otherwise pricey flowers, but others say their missing plants feel more like mischief.

"There are some days where you will wake up, come outside and see your plants have moved around or changed, but one morning, I came out to open my front curtains and noticed that my one big plant had been stolen – the whole pot and everything," said Rachael Parkes, who lives in Wortley.

Her 5-year-old potted spider plant was taken from the table on her front porch overnight on May 26. When she walked to the front of her lawn, Parkes said she found two other potted plants dumped near the sidewalk.

"I think it was just maliciously being mean to other people," she said, adding that she posted about the incident on Facebook and heard that other neighbours also had their pots stolen or knocked over the same night.

Despite saying that she thinks the behaviour is based on boredom, Parkes said the incident still makes her feel unsafe in the neighbourhood.

"I completely understand it's just a plant, but the thing that gets me is just how invasive it is," Parkes said. "It was overnight, I live here … and they probably looked in my front window as they took the plant."

Hern said the thefts are a reminder for neighbours to watch out for each other.

"It's just about community, people keeping an eye on their neighbours and people reporting anything suspicious," Hern said. "And hopefully, people's morals and ethics improve."