I want revenge on plant thief

[TuppyBarmyFotheringale]

I finally got around to filling up the two large planters in front of my house… and within two weeks, only two out of the twelve original shrubs remain! Someone has been taking them, one at a time, a few days apart!

Please let me know how I can exact revenge. Replacing the stolen goods with something prickly doesn't seem enough.

JesusInTheCabbageVan it's on a main road, so I think it would be constantly activated.

That's very sad!

@RedWingBoots are you thinking the thief would put their hand in the nettles? I think they are using implements to dig out the plants they want as they are leaving nice rounded deep holes.

I've just bought quite fancy new furniture for my front garden, neighbour told me I should lock it up or it will get stolen, was just looking at ways to do this abs saw your thread. Buying lock pronto

Why do you think it's a person? Sounds more like squirrels.

Hanging baskets get stolen here. Doorbell cameras don't deter them.
I'm tempted to make a pretty hanging basket and put a tiny hidden message along the lines of 'compost made from human excrement' or something on a tag they won't see until they try to sell it

Get one of those cat deterrents that spray them with water

Squirrels and foxes tend to leave evidence e.g. dropped plants, of their theft.

OP no their wrists and forearms. I am presuming your planting isn't very short in height and your planters are a reasonable width.

ONE OF THESE might put them off a revisit.

Fox poop does!

Which plants were they?

Put a pot of Japanese Knotweed out.

That will utterly screw them ( you do run the risk of screwing yourself too).

True but by that logic humans don't usually come and steal one plant a day!

Try anti-theft paint on the planters; that way they'll have it smeared all over the person and hands if they attempt to take them.

I had had a homemade Christmas wreaths, hanging basket and planters taken too in the past. I feel your heartache and fury. Now I have plastic ties to the basket and wreath and very heavy soil-based windowboxes that have weathered so much that they're not so attractive looking anymore.

Maybe just grow into the soil is the best bet if you have the space.

Lavender, hebe and heuchera.

Oh, they aren't taking the planters—they're digging the plants out of the soil and leaving holes.

Oooh!

When the gardener said he hoped they didn't get nicked I thought he was joking.

@TuppyBarmyFotheringale sorry, I didn't read your post properly.

Is there a communal garden where you are, or do people have their own little green patches? If so, you can have a mooch round and look to see if said plants have recently been planted there. You can confront the individual with those plants. Although, you might not find them at all, and the fxxxrs have sold them on 😡 Are these planters sited close to the road seen by passers by easily?

The planters are right on the public footpath so unfortunately it would be squirting every passer-by!

No communal garden, but pretty much all of the houses and buildings have front gardens. I think it would be difficult to identify those particular plants though as I think they are fairly common.

irridium Right on the main road and passed by hundreds every day, I should think.

Do you pay any monies to the management company either with your rent or separately? If you do surely this would give you rights to access the cctv?