Frustrated residents in a Brisbane suburb are fighting back against a spate of brazen garden thefts, turning to social media to publicly identify culprits caught in the act on security cameras.
Midnight Raids Caught on Camera
The incidents occurred on Bowen Terrace in the inner-city suburb of Fortitude Valley. In one clear example, a man was filmed at 3am on a Monday morning, armed with a hand saw, cutting down a tree. CCTV footage shows him then dragging his prize along the footpath.
On a separate night, the target was a dwarf pine. A woman wearing a distinctive bucket hat was recorded ripping the small tree out by the roots at the same street corner.
'They Are Expensive': Homeowner's Frustration
Homeowner Sandi, who spoke to 7NEWS, expressed her anger and disbelief at the thefts. "You can’t just be stealing people’s plants and running off with them," she said, confirming this was not an isolated event.
"It’s not the first time our plants have been stolen. Four others have gone missing," Sandi explained. "So we replaced them, and then they disappear. They are expensive."
The problem has become so pervasive that even artificial plants are not safe. Sandi reported seeing a woman cutting branches and flowers from a fake olive tree.
Legal Consequences and Community Action
Authorities have clarified that theft from public spaces or verges can be a police matter, depending on the local council's regulations. On the nearby Gold Coast, such acts are considered a breach of local laws, with offenders facing fines of up to $834.
The message from both residents and officials is clear for would-be plant enthusiasts. As one authority figure advised, "Take a cutting, that’s fine. Don’t rip the whole tree out by the roots and just merrily walk down the street."
Police and council officials are urging anyone with information about these specific thefts or similar incidents to come forward. Meanwhile, the community's use of social media to share CCTV footage highlights a growing trend of residents taking action into their own hands to protect their property and neighbourhood greenery.
