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CF Stole my hedge

492 replies

12FreeRangeEggs · 06/12/2024 18:09

We live in a naice part of London which thinks it’s the countryside but is actually just a green suburb. To the side and front of my property is our hedge. It’s a mix hedge; Holly, Ivy and other trees. Our Holly has been very good this autumn and we have lots of red berries. I make a door wreath for my front door each Christmas, and I usually forage from my own hedge to make my wreath. So far this year I haven’t gotten around to it but was hoping to make my wreath this weekend.

Well, I returned this afternoon and there was a lady stood on my driveway with a large blue IKEA bag in one hand and a pair of pruners in the other, helping herself to my holly.

I politely challenged her, but she didn’t seem to think that she was doing anything wrong helping herself to my Holly in my hedge. Infact when I protested that I was going to make my own wreath with my own Holly she told me she had a business making Christmas wreaths and usually only made 10 a season despite huge demand because she simply doesn’t have the time but was willing to make a professional wreath for me using my own Holly and charge me £85. I, less politely this time, declined her offer for a professional wreath and asked for my Holly back. She refused and accused me of being bitter and uncharitable.

OP posts:
Melroses · 06/12/2024 20:23

This makes me twice glad that the birds have usually stripped the holly tree bare by the end of November 😅

Merrymess · 06/12/2024 20:23

If there was plenty of holly left I'm not sure I could muster up much of shit about a few sprigs of holly.

oakleaffy · 06/12/2024 20:22

Havalona · 06/12/2024 19:13

We need to see a picture of the hedge. Before and after the misappropriation.

I am falling around in stitches of laughter at the amount of dander that's up in this thread over a few branches of holly. I'm sure there's tons left for OP. I won't believe there isn't unless I see a pic of the damage, then I shall be chastened into silence.

There are so many more things to get mad about. This ain't one of them.

All you lot are short of doing is calling for a firing squad. Typical self righteous mumsnetters. So over the top with reactions.

Found the tea leaf! ⬆️ ⬆️ ⬆️ The Holly thief.

12FreeRangeEggs · 06/12/2024 20:20

She wasn’t driving she was walking.

Would rather not say which part of London I live in.

DD was with me and whilst I have been on MN DD did a bit of online Agatha Christie-ing.

So the Holly thief runs a wreath making workshop from her kitchen table. No idea of dates but wondering whether she has one on this weekend??? Tempted to email an enquiry to see whether she has any spare places on one of her courses and just turn up. I haven’t made my own wreath yet after all…

OP posts:
stargazerlil · 06/12/2024 20:19

Havalona · 06/12/2024 19:13

We need to see a picture of the hedge. Before and after the misappropriation.

I am falling around in stitches of laughter at the amount of dander that's up in this thread over a few branches of holly. I'm sure there's tons left for OP. I won't believe there isn't unless I see a pic of the damage, then I shall be chastened into silence.

There are so many more things to get mad about. This ain't one of them.

All you lot are short of doing is calling for a firing squad. Typical self righteous mumsnetters. So over the top with reactions.

Oooh nasty Narcissist with your shaming….

oakleaffy · 06/12/2024 20:19

jaimelesoleil · 06/12/2024 20:11

I would comment on one of her post ‘ hope you’re enjoying the stolen Holly from our bush’
If you share her profile we can all comment
CF indeed 😁

Edited

Oh yes, @12FreeRangeEggs Please!

^^

Stop Boss GIF by Ticora Davis, Esq.
oakleaffy · 06/12/2024 20:15

12FreeRangeEggs · 06/12/2024 18:24

She left with the Holly and me shouting “excuse me, that’s my holly”. Her argument for not turning over the Holly was that she had foraged a lot from the neighbouring common and wooded area and she didn’t know what was mine and what was from the common.

Is this Sheen common? She's a tea leaf.

stargazerlil · 06/12/2024 20:14

Lilyundervalley · 06/12/2024 19:20

Wimbledon or Barnes would also fit the bill, due to references to a 'common'...

Blackheath or Dulwich Village posssibly.

Nodlikeyouwerelistening · 06/12/2024 20:14

Charitable? Is she (a woman running an actual for-profit business) calling herself a charity? Was the £85 going to a cause that wasn’t just lining her own pocket or did she fail to mention it. Absolute CF.

jaimelesoleil · 06/12/2024 20:11

12FreeRangeEggs · 06/12/2024 19:54

DD has found her on Instagram. Teens can be bloody brilliant sometimes. Not sure what to do yet. Will mull it over

I would comment on one of her post ‘ hope you’re enjoying the stolen Holly from our bush’
If you share her profile we can all comment
CF indeed 😁

LatteLady · 06/12/2024 20:10

Ooh, I am getting flashbacks to my old front garden, I had a Rosemary bush that anyone in the street could take from, gave peonies for the wedding of a neighbour's daughter and lavender could be taken by any of my mates. However, one morning I was just walking down to the station when I noticed a dog walker hovering... at this point I had a lot of oriental poppies in the front because the garden had been dug over and the went for it.

Anyway, I walked round the corner and thought... he is going to nick something from the garden, so I walked back and, lo and behold he was snapping off all the poppy head... I yelled so loudly at him, Phyllis at no.20 came out in her nightie! I removed my property and told him, if he asked he could have had them but as he had stolen them, I wanted them back right now! Amazingly, he never walked his dog up the street again... and I shared the seed heads with Phyll and her sister Sheila.

So yes, she was an absolute CF!

EarthSight · 06/12/2024 20:09

OP, even thought it would be illegal, I would be tempted to search her business name on companies house to see if I could find where she lived, then go with pliars helping myself to her garden plants....you know...since we're sharing and everything!

LivingOnTheVeg · 06/12/2024 20:08

JaninaDuszejko · 06/12/2024 19:57

You need to share this information with the thread.

I pay £55 in the north east so can well believe you have to pay £85 in London. What's truly cheeky of course is that she clearly isn't paying for her materials.

I reckon it’s this one. Will be interested to see if OP’s DD found the same or whether there are other pisstakers charging £85 for a bit of bush.

StaunchMomma · 06/12/2024 20:07

12FreeRangeEggs · 06/12/2024 19:54

DD has found her on Instagram. Teens can be bloody brilliant sometimes. Not sure what to do yet. Will mull it over

I'd be telling her to return your holly or you will be informing her clients that the wreaths are made using stolen materials.

She'll likely block you but you can use your teen's account to do it, if necessary.

CF's never expect to be challenged, do they?!

EarthSight · 06/12/2024 20:06

12FreeRangeEggs · 06/12/2024 19:54

DD has found her on Instagram. Teens can be bloody brilliant sometimes. Not sure what to do yet. Will mull it over

OP is this a real story? The latest development is too good 😂

I'd definitely leave her reviews on loads of her posts saying she uses stolen material from people's gardens. That would put a lot of people off and I wouldn't buy a wreath if I knew the maker did that, no matter how cheap it was (which it isn't, in this case).

Greengagesnfennel · 06/12/2024 20:03

savoycabbage · 06/12/2024 18:59

As the thief was still at the scene a quick response from the police would have her apprehended and charged. If she still had the secateurs and the holly that is adequate proof that she intended to steal.
If catching a thief is not the police’s job I’m not sure what their job is.

I called the police when I saw my next door neighbour's porche being stolen from their drive. They came five days later.

As it was a performance car, they had managed to get away in that time.

😂

ThePenguinIsDrunk · 06/12/2024 20:02

12FreeRangeEggs · 06/12/2024 19:54

DD has found her on Instagram. Teens can be bloody brilliant sometimes. Not sure what to do yet. Will mull it over

Name 'n' Shame on here? Or leave a (very poor) review on her instagram and let all her customers know what she does.
I'm kind of admiring her sheer brass neck but would be raging in your position OP.

jumpintheline · 06/12/2024 20:01

Merrymess · 06/12/2024 19:58

You need to log it with special branch.

👏🏼

MaggieFS · 06/12/2024 20:01

Well said @Merrymess 😃

That's so rude! She'll probably block you on Instagram as soon as you comment, but if a certainly worth flagging it, screen shotting and then sharing.

jumpintheline · 06/12/2024 20:01

Sooooooooo cheeky what a fucker

Londonrach1 · 06/12/2024 19:59

Message her on Instagram...you need your holly back she stole

Merrymess · 06/12/2024 19:58

You need to log it with special branch.

JaninaDuszejko · 06/12/2024 19:57

LivingOnTheVeg · 06/12/2024 19:31

I’ve clearly got too much time on my hands but there are a handful of people on Etsy selling fresh wreaths for £85. One of them (London-based) claims to sell fresh foliage’s so I have assumed that’s CF and she doesn’t understand apostrophes as well as manners.

You need to share this information with the thread.

I pay £55 in the north east so can well believe you have to pay £85 in London. What's truly cheeky of course is that she clearly isn't paying for her materials.

Londonrach1 · 06/12/2024 19:56

Did you get your holly back from cf....

IncessantNameChanger · 06/12/2024 19:56

Ezlo · 06/12/2024 18:18

Yea good use of police time and the 999 service. It isn't an emergency.

If it makes you feel better they wouldn't do anything anyway. There was a gun used to damage a car on private land today. Window blown out and shot the door. They didn't come for that either.

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