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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:
LunaTheCat · 07/12/2024 03:32

I am totally invested in this.. visions of Holly being stolen from somebodies Bush ( but the other kind of Bush if you know what I mean 😂)

daisychain233 · 07/12/2024 04:24

Her warped logic clearly applies to the holly return too. Dumping it on a pile in the middle of your driveway is entirely unhelpful - now you have to clear it up, plus the holly is now clipped, so already on a timeline before it dies. As another poster said, surely the more gracious move (particularly if she is a MNetter, has read the thread and is trying to avoid any blowback on her business) is to make you a nice wreath…

TheForestCalls · 07/12/2024 04:30

So either she's seen the thread, someone who knows her and could identify her has seen the thread, or someone from here also found her classes and sent her the thread.

AlpacaMittens · 07/12/2024 04:49

Whohasnickedthesellotape · 06/12/2024 18:24

In the last week someone drove up and took big clumps out of the rosemary bush in my front garden as well as dried wood from a small pile by my front door that's not quite covered by the Ring doorbell. My neighbour saw her and was gobsmacked but sadly didn't get a licence plate!
CFs are getting Xmas ready! 🤬

Sorry for the off topic question, but can I ask how your rosemary is coping in the cold? Do you cover it when it's super cold? Thank you!

TheFlakyPoster · 07/12/2024 04:54

This is one of the funniest threads I've read in a while. I'm very pleased you got your holly back but a bit disappointed you won't make a shock appearance at CFs overpriced wreath making class 😆

Grow your own Holly you thieving git!

Bigearringsbigsmile · 07/12/2024 04:58

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.

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

Manthide · 07/12/2024 06:14

PhilosophicalCheeseSandwich · 06/12/2024 19:24

Somebody did this to the holly bush at the end of our front garden, but they left it in a sort of topiary cone. It was a very neat job, but it's part of a mixed hedge so he did look out of place next to his less pampered hedge-mates for a long time.

What gives these cheeky fuckers the idea that holly's a communal plant?!

My parents have a holly bush down the side of their house and df, in particular, would be very happy to have it trimmed!

hilltopmum · 07/12/2024 06:29

Priceless

Billybagpuss · 07/12/2024 06:41

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 😲

So he literally just upended a bag of cut holly on your drive in the middle of a storm? That’s almost worse than the original theft.

MaisieMacabe · 07/12/2024 06:42

That's a surprise ending.

WomenInConstruction · 07/12/2024 06:45

Billybagpuss · 07/12/2024 06:41

So he literally just upended a bag of cut holly on your drive in the middle of a storm? That’s almost worse than the original theft.

Agree.
This CF and her man are clearly scummy sorts, if you're going to return your stolen items don't dump them this way!
It would have shown a bit more redeemable character if they'd at least left them in the bag so they could easily be moved.
Might even believe they were a bit sorry then, whereas this is the fuck you version of the fit of conscience, so definitely just wanting to save her own skin and avoid kick back.
CF.

allthemiddlechildrenoftheworld · 07/12/2024 06:46

@12FreeRangeEggs wow! guilt ridden or what! better get making a couple of wreaths today, in the meantime put it all in a bucket of water!

MaisieMacabe · 07/12/2024 06:50

Did the Ring doorbell catch the woman committing the original crime? I know you saw it in person, but just wondered.

User964253 · 07/12/2024 06:53

CF is definitely on MN and worried you’re going to blow up her instagram.

NigelAdjacent · 07/12/2024 06:56

SleepPrettyDarling · 06/12/2024 23:37

You can’t exactly stick the holly sprigs and berries back on. What are you going to do now??

Make her own wreath?!

NigelAdjacent · 07/12/2024 06:58

I mean, since she’s clearly on here….. would have been better to present one of her ten wreaths to you with the stolen holly.

user1471462634 · 07/12/2024 06:59

Get your daughter to contact her via Instagram, 'have foilage to sell, great for wreath making, are you interested?' see if she bites!

EsmeSusanOgg · 07/12/2024 07:00

SleepPrettyDarling · 06/12/2024 23:37

You can’t exactly stick the holly sprigs and berries back on. What are you going to do now??

OP does want to make her own wreath

timetoreset · 07/12/2024 07:04

I'm amazed at both the theft and the return of the Holly - who in their right mind thinks it's ok to do this?
Nice sleuthing though !

CoffeeGood · 07/12/2024 07:24

I'm with the others who reckons she's on here and seen this thread and is worried someone has tracked her down (as it would seem one poster actually might actually have done!).

BettyBardMacDonald · 07/12/2024 07:26

This is bizarre.

I would report her to the police.

My holly is my pride & joy; if any trespassed to snip it I'd have a stroke.

BettyBardMacDonald · 07/12/2024 07:27

User964253 · 07/12/2024 06:53

CF is definitely on MN and worried you’re going to blow up her instagram.

Which I think you should do.

Pipsquiggle · 07/12/2024 07:28

She's either on MN &/or has a very reasonable family who called her out for her CFery when she regaled to them her tale.

Well done @12FreeRangeEggs
Sometimes the righteousness does win

MaisieMacabe · 07/12/2024 07:29

BettyBardMacDonald · 07/12/2024 07:26

This is bizarre.

I would report her to the police.

My holly is my pride & joy; if any trespassed to snip it I'd have a stroke.

Do you genuinely think that someone taking some holly from a bush, then returning it at night in a storm, is a police matter?.

BettyBardMacDonald · 07/12/2024 07:33

Yes, of course!