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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:
SoupDragon · 07/12/2024 23:14

JennyBG · 07/12/2024 22:55

I would be inclined to put a notice on your local facebook or twitter page advising everyone that they will be buying stolen goods if they buy a wreath from a certain lady.

That would be pointless given the fact that the holly was returned.

salsapasta · 07/12/2024 23:10

you were too polite.

JennyBG · 07/12/2024 22:55

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.

I would be inclined to put a notice on your local facebook or twitter page advising everyone that they will be buying stolen goods if they buy a wreath from a certain lady.

godmum56 · 07/12/2024 22:35

Pupinskipops · 07/12/2024 22:30

Every word of it. Which part of THE POLICE HAVE MORE IMPORTANT THINGS TO DO do you not understand?

Not relevant. if I go to my insurance company they will want a crime number as I have already said.

Pupinskipops · 07/12/2024 22:30

godmum56 · 07/12/2024 22:25

Which part of ITS NOT THEIRS TO TAKE do you not understand?

Every word of it. Which part of THE POLICE HAVE MORE IMPORTANT THINGS TO DO do you not understand?

godmum56 · 07/12/2024 22:25

Pupinskipops · 07/12/2024 20:07

It's holly. Practically zero value. It's not a car. It's not a family heirloom. Nobody is getting hurt. There is no permanent damage to property.

Let's hope you never need to call the police for anything serious, while they're busy blue-lighting it to save a few twigs from someone's hedge.

Which part of ITS NOT THEIRS TO TAKE do you not understand?

EdithBond · 07/12/2024 21:34

WearyAuldWumman · 06/12/2024 23:31

I wonder whether CF is on Mumsnet?

waves at CF

😂😂 seems likely

Lisachooky · 07/12/2024 21:09

Dear oh dear..... people seem to be born these days without a conscience, she's clearly too thick to understand that she is in fact stealing your holly from your hedge.and to attempt to charge you £85 for your own holly wreath from your own hedge....words fail me.

Windsweptandweird · 07/12/2024 21:04

Cheeky cow! 😳

Peaceandquietandacuppa · 07/12/2024 21:00

12FreeRangeEggs · 06/12/2024 23:22

Errr I’ve just got my Holly back.

Watching Netflix together and DH received a security camera notification. Thinking it could only be a car thief at this time of night he checked the footage and we saw a man in a baseball cap walk on the driveway, empty a bag of Holly onto the driveway then swiftly retreat 😲

No way!! She’s probably read the MN thread 🤣

Ihatelittlefriendsusan · 07/12/2024 20:54

CF!!!!!

I would send her an invoice for at least 75% of her 10 wreaths at £85/ea

MummyJ36 · 07/12/2024 20:54

Ive had (heavy) potted plants stolen from my front garden in south London before too. They were so heavy I genuinely couldn’t get my head around it when I saw they weren’t there in the morning!

MummyJ36 · 07/12/2024 20:52

Omg the update 🤣🤣🤣 She definitely reads Mumsnet!!

Slooodie359 · 07/12/2024 20:52

In America you could have shot her! She had scary clippers and you felt in danger !

cantthinkofausernametoadd · 07/12/2024 20:47

She's 100% come across your thread on here OP (looking at you @Havalona) hence the return of the holly twigs 😂😂

rb124 · 07/12/2024 20:45

That's outrageous! It's also theft and, if she's in your garden, trespass ( but that's a civil, not criminal, matter). She must be on a nice little earner there using free holly to make things she's changing £85 for.

LadyLindaT · 07/12/2024 20:33

If this is for real, it worries me. I currently have incredibly attractive holly, full of berries. I thought it indicated that we are in for a hard Winter. Do I have to worry about wreath-mugging, as well?

chaosmaker · 07/12/2024 20:31

12FreeRangeEggs · 06/12/2024 23:22

Errr I’ve just got my Holly back.

Watching Netflix together and DH received a security camera notification. Thinking it could only be a car thief at this time of night he checked the footage and we saw a man in a baseball cap walk on the driveway, empty a bag of Holly onto the driveway then swiftly retreat 😲

That's brilliant, could have knocked and apologised though.

Sothisiit · 07/12/2024 20:13

My parents have a large variegated holly tree in their front garden and it is often raided and stealthily pruned under darkness by commercial wreath makers.
A few do knock and they allow some supervised pruning.
The brazen cheek of some people though does astounds me. What happened to manners and asking politely?

pinkyredrose · 07/12/2024 20:12

Lilywc · 07/12/2024 19:36

I thought CF meant Close Friend?

Cheeky fucker.

pinkyredrose · 07/12/2024 20:11

ThianWinter · 07/12/2024 19:37

I hope no-one has really gone onto this woman's Instagram account and berated her for nicking holly.

I hope someone has!

pinkyredrose · 07/12/2024 20:10

Orders76 · 07/12/2024 15:57

Maybe I'm very naive but I did wonder if those stealing fruit are actually hungry in COL

Yes you're naive.

Pupinskipops · 07/12/2024 20:07

OldJohn · 06/12/2024 18:22

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.

It's holly. Practically zero value. It's not a car. It's not a family heirloom. Nobody is getting hurt. There is no permanent damage to property.

Let's hope you never need to call the police for anything serious, while they're busy blue-lighting it to save a few twigs from someone's hedge.

Cazareeto1 · 07/12/2024 19:57

ThianWinter · 07/12/2024 19:37

I hope no-one has really gone onto this woman's Instagram account and berated her for nicking holly.

I don’t know, she is trespassing and stealing from people gardens to then sell over priced at £85 for each one she makes up. Even had the cheek to say to OP that she will sell her one for £85 that is not ok. You can go about damaging peoples property and helping yourself to what is in someone else’s private property. Then selling on for £85 profit. They do not take a huge amount of time to make as you have to work fast before they dry out and become unbendable (for twigs and small branches) I have made my own from many different things over the years for all year round ones (like Easter and so on) this goes against crafting, she is just stealing. Also the damage to an incorrectly pruned bush could kill it off. People can leave bad reviews, or point out theft. The holly has been returned but OP will not be able to use them now, they will be too dried out to work with and will end up in the bin sadly. And her bushes may not recover from being butchered, OP clearly knows how to look after her garden so she clearly has pride in it, it would be quite devastating if you had spent your time growing and looking after them for someone to come along and destroy your hard work, Holly is hard to work with and only likes heavily pruned at set times of year, they like a light trim from about November to December but not cut back to drastically. A full ikea bag of Holly at this time of year could kill the whole bush and make it more susceptible to infections and fungal disease which could potentially kill it and spread to others. That isn’t fair on OP, is it?

lovelydayIhave · 07/12/2024 19:56

I also think that she lives close by to your house and she knew that you have a nice foliage hedge, she probably took clippings from other places too.