'My flowers are gone': Guelph residents report plants stolen from properties
Residents in Guelph are raising concerns about plants going missing from their property in recent weeks.
Lekha Nair lives in the Kortright Hills community and said pieces of her peonies were plucked off. She said she thinks about a dozen were cut off at the stem at the end of May.
“I feel very sad when we saw this,” said Nair.
The plant cost around $30 but Nair said it is not the money that is the biggest loss.
“It hurts,” she said, adding that the garden is her happy place. “It is therapeutic for me, leaving my stress. It makes me feel happy.”
A similar incident occurred off Victoria Road North at Loretta Gortmaker’s home on June 7.
“When I backed out of the driveway there was a hole there where there used to be a plant,” said Gortmaker.
She replaced the missing plant but said it is still upsetting.
“I had actually taken the hangers off of it and I had just sink the pot into the ground a little bit so that it doesn't blow over,” she said.
A resident who lives off Stevenson Street North said about eight of her plants were ripped right out of the soil.
“If it’s an animal it would leave a trace like of dirt on the ground and stuff like that,” said Marissa Sarong.
Sarong said her aunt noticed it Tuesday morning and felt violated.
“Oh my gosh my flowers are gone. She couldn’t believe that someone would actually steal a flower,” Sarong said.
All three incidents took place in different Guelph neighbourhoods with several more posting on social media about possible plant pirates in other nearby communities.
“Property crimes don’t tend to happen in isolation. So if someone is doing it in one place, chances are they doing another place as well,”said Scott Tracey with Guelph police.
Police suggest people report any and all crimes no matter how small the dollar value of the items lost is.
“A theft is a theft and especially when it happens on your own property there is a violation of your property as well,” said Tracey.
Keeping a well-lit garden and installing security cameras could help keep culprits away, according to police.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Minister 'outraged' after AFN national chief's headdress taken from Air Canada cabin
The federal minister of Crown-Indigenous relations is calling on Air Canada to 'make things right' with the national chief of the Assembly of First Nations, who said her headdress was removed from an airplane cabin during a flight this week.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau on navigating post-political life, co-parenting and freedom
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
BREAKING Orca calf that was trapped in B.C. lagoon for weeks swims free
An orca whale calf that has been stranded in a B.C. lagoon for weeks after her pregnant mother died swam out on her own early Friday morning.
'Violation': CSIS had officer investigated after she reported a superior raped her
A CSIS officer's allegations that she was raped repeatedly by a superior in agency vehicles set off a harassment inquiry, but also triggered an investigation into her that concluded the alleged attacks were a “misuse” of agency vehicles by the woman.
'Too young to have breast cancer': Rates among young Canadian women rising
Breast cancer rates are rising in Canada among women in their 20s, 30s and 40s, according to research by the University of Ottawa (uOttawa).
'I was scared': Ontario man's car repossessed after missing two repair loan payments
An Ontario man who took out a loan to pay for auto repairs said his car was repossessed after he missed two payments.
Canada recognizes housing as a human right. Few provinces have followed suit
As more Canadians find themselves struggling to afford or find housing, the country's smallest province is the only one that can point to legislation recognizing housing as a human right.
Charlie Woods, son of Tiger, shoots 81 in U.S. Open qualifier
Charlie Woods failed to advance in a U.S. Open local qualifying event Thursday, shooting a 9-over 81 at Legacy Golf & Tennis Club.
Taylor Swift dons Montreal designer's dress in 'Fortnight' video
A pair of Montreal designers' work has now been viewed over 41 million times. Taylor Swift dons a Victorian throwback black gown in her latest music video, 'Fortnight', designed by UNTTLD due Simon Belanger and Jose Manuel Saint-Jacques.