Garden thieves

[lyndy loo]

Hello there, just got a few moments spare and thought I would share an annoying thing. Monday we went to buy some trees for our meadow as trying to get it back to nature from being a farmers field and we laid the five out we wanted to plant and where they were to go. We live in the middle of nowhere as such. When we came to the one farthest away from the house it was gone! Some little herberts (we called them worse believe me) had stolen an 8ft silver birch!

That ruined the bank holiday!

We were going to leave the field open for deer etc but now will be putting up the gates we bought last year to deter the opportunists again. Our neighbour said that deer jump anyway. Take care folks

[cherrybee]

Originally Posted by lyndy loo

Hello there, just got a few moments spare and thought I would share an annoying thing. Monday we went to buy some trees for our meadow as trying to get it back to nature from being a farmers field and we laid the five out we wanted to plant and where they were to go. We live in the middle of nowhere as such. When we came to the one farthest away from the house it was gone! Some little herberts (we called them worse believe me) had stolen an 8ft silver birch!

That ruined the bank holiday!

We were going to leave the field open for deer etc but now will be putting up the gates we bought last year to deter the opportunists again. Our neighbour said that deer jump anyway. Take care folks

Welcome to WAB
Some people will pinch anything.I had my tatty moped stolen last week.It was faded and tatty and rusty but it was mine and in my front garden.Believe me I know what you called them.They are toe rags and more.
Just for a laugh here is a piccy of me and the moped that Beryl took from the window of her flat without me knowing.

[lyndy loo]

toe rags! Yes that was one of the words that we used. Sounds like an adage but shows what a sad world we now live in.

We spoke to our neighbour (our only one for about 2/3 mile) and the wife was just coming home at the time and she said she saw a van stopped by our field but didnt think anything of it. There have been people pickicking at the bottom of our garden years back with the previous owner. When she questioned them the answer was we are in the country so we are having a picnic! I bet that was the tree purloiners. I just hope it is planted and not just dumped. Our neighbours gave us a two foot oak tree so that will get planted in that spot instead.

Take care and hope to upload some decent photos when I have mastered me camera!

[nightshade]

My sister used to carry bags of rubbish out for her neighbour (and leave it ready for pickup
by the bin men) one day after a bank holiday she left one bag while she went to fetch another only to return to see two young blokes running off with it! their faces must have been a picture when they came to divide the spoils!
On a more sobering note a local farm had 5 new five barred gates taken they had only been hung a few days earlier and were branded with the farms name in 3"high letters
A farm we used to holiday on in Cornwall/Devon the farmer used to leave his power tools out
in clear view in the tractor house,I advised him to lock them away which he did.The following year every farmhouse and main outbuilding had a burglar alarm fitted after a spate of brazen thefts where a couple just drove into the farms and took everything that was not nailed down from the empty farmhouses and outbuildings ,Tack,tools barbedwire,oil,tyres,
televisions, cash, tea sets,tables chairs, leather armchairs ,electric fencing etc.

[willandtracey]

Most thieves are opportunists - if you take simple and sensible precautions you can deterr criminals and avoid becoming a victim.

Examples include locking away tools, not leaving items on view, having proper lighting, cctv, alarms, making your place look habitated when on holiday by having timer lights/radio, locking windows, getting good quality padlocks etc etc

Although it would not help theft of tree, you should always contact police to report the offence - in addition, in london at least police are bringing in a dna based marking scheme for property for victims of certain offences. Contact the officer responsible for where you live in your force area and see if they do something similiar they will also be able to give you proper advice re securing your land and property, possible arrange a visit from an officer to discuss crime prevention or other similiar...

In any case, always note serial numbers for objects when possible - dont forget push bikes have a code on the underside of the frame where the pedals are.

I would suggest that anyone who does find thier shed broken into/crime committed against thier property should contact police, dont touch any places where criminals may have touched (e.g. door handles, boxs, lawn mowers, fences, gates, locks etc) or pick up anyting that has been introduced to the location by the criminal or which they have touched such as gloves, ciggarette ends, drinks, always be mindful that there may be footprints/tyreprints in soft earth. In short, look but dont touch. Call police and tell them in as much detail as possible as to what has happend, when, exactly what was taken, its value, any routes you think may have been used.

If you find any objects, foot prints etc and it rains take simple steps to shield them using dustbin lids or plastic - always try to leave objects in position unless impracticable.

hope this helps

[cherrybee]

Originally Posted by lyndy loo

toe rags! Yes that was one of the words that we used. Sounds like an adage but shows what a sad world we now live in.

We spoke to our neighbour (our only one for about 2/3 mile) and the wife was just coming home at the time and she said she saw a van stopped by our field but didnt think anything of it. There have been people pickicking at the bottom of our garden years back with the previous owner. When she questioned them the answer was we are in the country so we are having a picnic! I bet that was the tree purloiners. I just hope it is planted and not just dumped. Our neighbours gave us a two foot oak tree so that will get planted in that spot instead.

Take care and hope to upload some decent photos when I have mastered me camera!

Oh you have a very nice neighbour good luck with the trees and with your camera hope to see some shots soon

[cherrybee]

Hubby has just bolted a chain to the path near our front window.The bike was behind the hedge before now the new bike will be right under my living room window chained to the bolt.Also this bike locks the handle bars.All details were given to the police but it hasnt been found.Although I came across information about 2 places where youngsters ride mopeds at night and some names of likely ones that had already been seen to do so.A few days later I heard that 2 had been arrested and the bikes recovered altho no longer in a fit state to be ridden.Mine wasnt one of them.They probably rode it till petrol ran out and dumped it in a stream in some woodland somewhere which is known to happen.

[Gill Catton]

Make sure you protect your new trees from the deer!

[jennyb]

Originally Posted by cherrybee

Some people will pinch anything.

A few years ago someone stole our newly planted hedge We had planted about 20 leylandii (yes, I know everyone hates them but we were trying to hide the pig farm next door). The thieves obviously only needed a dozen so we were left with eight! I must admit that we went around the village trying to find a garden with 12 newly planted leylandii but to no avail. I guess they were too smart to use them close by.

We also checked our insurance to see if it covered hedges - sadly not.

I really don't know how they found our hedge since we really are in the middle of nowhere and very few people come down this way.

Jenny

[Alan]

Originally Posted by jennyb

A few years ago someone stole our newly planted hedge We had planted about 20 leylandii (yes, I know everyone hates them but we were trying to hide the pig farm next door). The thieves obviously only needed a dozen so we were left with eight! I must admit that we went around the village trying to find a garden with 12 newly planted leylandii but to no avail. I guess they were too smart to use them close by.

We also checked our insurance to see if it covered hedges - sadly not.

I really don't know how they found our hedge since we really are in the middle of nowhere and very few people come down this way.

Jenny

Isn't there an 'Against Leylandi Society' or similar name. Maybe they had a hit squad in your area!

[jennyb]

Originally Posted by Alan

Isn't there an 'Against Leylandi Society' or similar name. Maybe they had a hit squad in your area!

Why leave eight of them? And, they did not come back when we replanted.

BTW, I hate Leylandii too, but try living next to a pig farm. It is not pretty

Jenny

[Alan]

Originally Posted by jennyb

Why leave eight of them? And, they did not come back when we replanted.

BTW, I hate Leylandii too, but try living next to a pig farm. It is not pretty

Jenny

If you don't want to wait for a native tree hedge to grow, or you want an evergreen screen, Try Red Ceder. They are easier to control than Leylandii (prune twice a year, and don't grow so tall) and have a nice lemon scent!

[Gill Catton]

Originally Posted by jennyb

I hate Leylandii too, but try living next to a pig farm. It is not pretty

Jenny

I don't hate leylandii, birds LOVE them they might be non- native and shading, but blackbirds, thrushes, chaffinches, greenfinches, wrens, goldcrests all will nest in them and they're quite difficult for kids or cats to climb as the branches are mostly too thin or too dense (though my kitten has a go!!) so nest sites are quite safe and they are excellent safe cover for fat, naiive fledgelings too.
every cloud.......
seems odd just to take a few, check at the local car boot......

[Alan]

Originally Posted by Gill Catton

I don't hate leylandii, birds LOVE them they might be non- native and shading, but blackbirds, thrushes, chaffinches, greenfinches, wrens, goldcrests all will nest in them and they're quite difficult for kids or cats to climb as the branches are mostly too thin or too dense (though my kitten has a go!!) so nest sites are quite safe and they are excellent safe cover for fat, naiive fledgelings too.
every cloud.......
seems odd just to take a few, check at the local car boot......

Gill, it's not the wildlife that don't like Leylandii, it's people. Especially if your neighbour has 30ft high ones blocking out all the light! There have been cases were murder has been commited over the rows which can ensue!

[Gill Catton]

Originally Posted by Alan

Gill, it's not the wildlife that don't like Leylandii, it's people. Especially if your neighbour has 30ft high ones blocking out all the light! There have been cases were murder has been commited over the rows which can ensue!

Yes I know it's crazy... people get so upset about the negative they never see the positive though so I thought I'd fight the leylandii's corner a bit.

[jennyb]

Originally Posted by Gill Catton

I don't hate leylandii, birds LOVE them they might be non- native and shading, but blackbirds, thrushes, chaffinches, greenfinches, wrens, goldcrests all will nest in them

Interesting - the guy who helps with our garden said he has seen goldcrests in that part of the garden. Maybe the hedge is the reason.

BTW we planted our hedge 15 years ago so I don't suppose we will ever find out why or where they stolen ones went!

Jenny

[lyndy loo]

Its quite unbelievable really isnt it what extremes people will go to. The police wont want to know about our tree. Last year we had an abandoned motorcycle at the bottom of the garden we reported it but no one followed it up or anything. Needless to say a couple of days later it was gone. Still never mind, thats life I guess. I am hoping that this weekend we will plant a few more and I will get the hang of my camera.