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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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:
Rosscameasdoody · 06/12/2024 19:30

12FreeRangeEggs · 06/12/2024 18:28

No, no picture. It all happened too quickly. Now I am incandescent with rage thinking of all the things I should have said and done in the moment but failed to do. Furious with her and myself for not being quicker off the mark

OP get a cheap outdoor camera with a phone app - something motion activated - in case she comes back. Once you have evidence report it to the police and circulate the footage on social media. I can’t believe the entitlement of some people.

StrawberryWater · 06/12/2024 19:31

Cheeky mare.

How dare she!

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.

Rosscameasdoody · 06/12/2024 19:32

12FreeRangeEggs · 06/12/2024 18:34

Oooo great idea

And then threaten to report her to HMRC. At £85 a wreath with no outlay for the raw materials she’s making a nice little profit.

yohohoCrimbo · 06/12/2024 19:32

How on earth did you not take her bag and send her packing?! Dear God that's theft!!

ClairDeLaLune · 06/12/2024 19:35

Tooty78 · 06/12/2024 19:10

She must be the winter twin of the infamous gooseberry bush thief, a legendary story on Mumsnet Classics.

Cf indeed

@Tooty78 ooh link please!

RunAwayTurnAwayRunAwayTurnAway · 06/12/2024 19:39

£850 for the thieving baggage.

Has this ever happened in previous years?

Mrsredlipstick · 06/12/2024 19:39

I can match this. We rented a house and it had a marvellous lavender hedge. Being a country mouse I planned to make lavender bags. I came home from work to find the landlady's friend had topped the lot for her supply. I rang the agent who told me the let didn't include flowers etc from the garden. As the mad women had removed the cooker before we moved in I shouldn't have been surprised.

TotallyTwisted · 06/12/2024 19:41

Oh come on. Surely nobody is paying £85 for a Christmas wreath, even in London?!

SatansBobbleheadedDashboardOrnament · 06/12/2024 19:43

TotallyTwisted · 06/12/2024 19:41

Oh come on. Surely nobody is paying £85 for a Christmas wreath, even in London?!

They aren't - 65-75 in London, unless you're minted.

MaisieMacabe · 06/12/2024 19:45

Ezlo · 06/12/2024 18:18

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

Quite.
Utter nonsense.

MaisieMacabe · 06/12/2024 19:47

TotallyTwisted · 06/12/2024 19:41

Oh come on. Surely nobody is paying £85 for a Christmas wreath, even in London?!

Of course not.
Even John Lewis do one for £16.

MaisieMacabe · 06/12/2024 19:48

adriftinadenofvipers · 06/12/2024 19:11

Is that relevant?

It's a whole different quality of holly berries.

Lemonadeand · 06/12/2024 19:49

FlangeSprocket · 06/12/2024 18:32

Can you do a bit of sleuthing and find her through her overpriced wreath making business. At £85+ she shouldn't be too hard to find?

Ooo good shout! Then leave terrible reviews.

Lemonadeand · 06/12/2024 19:50

TotallyTwisted · 06/12/2024 19:41

Oh come on. Surely nobody is paying £85 for a Christmas wreath, even in London?!

People are paying £50 for them in Oxfordshire (from professional florist) so I wouldn’t be surprised.

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 posts:
HazelTiger · 06/12/2024 19:55

This reply has been deleted

This has been deleted by MNHQ for breaking our Talk Guidelines.

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.

Londonrach1 · 06/12/2024 19:56

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

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.

Merrymess · 06/12/2024 19:58

You need to log it with special branch.

Londonrach1 · 06/12/2024 19:59

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

jumpintheline · 06/12/2024 20:01

Sooooooooo cheeky what a fucker

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

Merrymess · 06/12/2024 19:58

You need to log it with special branch.

👏🏼