Monday, June 1, 2009

Does a plant pot thief have his eye on your garden?

VILLAGERS are being urged to stay vigilant after a spate of ornamental garden pot thefts.
Gardens in Kempsey, near Worcester, have been targeted and ceramic pots and trees worth hundreds of pounds taken.
Thieves have struck on four separate occasions at various addresses around the village, with at least three of the thefts happening within a 48-hour period.
Although parish councillor David Harrison hasn’t been targeted, he warned villagers to be on their guard. He said: “All we can do is keep our eyes open and move anything which isn’t secure. Villagers have been in touch to say they have had things taken and we’ve got a pretty good information network around here but everybody should be aware.”
He said there was a suspicion that whoever was taking the heavy pot plants was using a van and villagers were urged to make a note of the number plates of any unfamiliar parked vehicles and call police if there are more thefts.
The first reported theft happened between 10pm on Tuesday, May 19, and 6.50am the following morning when two blue stoneware pots worth £30, containing conifers, were taken from an address in Plovers Rise. Crime reference 65/S/200509 On the Wednesday, between 8.30am and 5.30pm, two large ornamental pots containing trees and worth about £100 each were also taken from either side of a house in Squires Walk. 535/S/200509.
Then between Thursday, May 14, and noon on Friday, May 22, a couple from Napleton Lane returned from holiday and noticed their two glazed pots containing conifers and worth £30 each had been stolen from their front garden. 401/S/230509.
Three days later a 15-inch blue ceramic pot containing an acer tree was taken from a house in Meadow Close some time after 7.15pm on Saturday, May 23. 505/S/230509.
A police spokeswoman said: “The local policing team are aware of each incident and are investigating.
“The pots were taken in the same space of time within Kempsey and are all being looked at together.”
Anyone with information should call police on 0300 333 3000.

(Reproduced from Berrow's Worcester Journal, June 1st)

GARDIEN TIP: Follow our advice re Outdoor Items at http://www.garden-security.co.uk/outdoor-items-security.aspx

No comments: