Thieves!!!!!!

For the third year in succession, we've had our front hanging baskets stolen. In the past we used to have very superior hanging baskets and approximately every second year we had one stolen. So a couple of years ago we decided to have fairly bog standard ones in the front of our house based on the premise that it wouldn't matter if they disappeared!

Well it does and I am soooooooooooo angry!! Our frontage is immediately on to the road so they are easy picking. We usually secure them with cable ties - does anyone else have a more secure suggestion?

If we stop our displays then these rotten little toe rags have won and the beauty of our summer and winter displays will be lost to the community.

I know I'm not alone but I really am completely jarred off!!

 

Sorry to hear your news- no wonder you are fuming.

Use the more secure planters/ under sill planters which screw directly into the house wall.



or

edited to add - I see Marley has already suggested securing your brackets much higher up the wall.

or

keep your baskets where they are and get a cheap little web cam set to take photos every 3 seconds. You can pick one up for under a tenner.

 

That's just despicable Prudence :( Some people really are just low lifes. No wonder you are just mad.
You're right not to give in to them. Carry on with your baskets and your lovely life and leave the rotters to their own miserable little lives.
We're very lucky here. Everybody puts out hanging baskets and planters and nothing ever gets touched.
Hope you can find a way to secure them so that you and all around you can carry on enjoying the display.

 

Makes me mad when I hear stories like this.
A web / security camera seems a good idea.
How about one of those false camera housings,
They even have a flashing LED on the front so it`s difficult to know if its real or not.
Even though we live in a "safe area" you have made me think about being more secure with our two baskets on the side of the house. We are open plan here and anybody could wander down our drive without our knowing. Lucky we have some good people around here.

 

Hi Prudence I really feel for you. I tie mine on with wire but guess the thieves would still get them.
Last year I had a tall blue attractive pot stolen from the front and I felt so angry. It was one of a matching pair and so now keep all the nice pots round the back.
What nasty people.

 

You could try putting that "non-drying" paint on the hooks and top of the chains. Remember to wear gloves when you take them down. :wink:It won't stop them but it might deter them. We don't have too much trouble like that where I live because we've got lots of "nosey neighbours" but that's a mixed blessing:skp:

 

Many thanks to you all! I feel better now! I will certainly try Marley's suggestion about the jubilee clips and grease. At least then if someone was determined to steal them they would have to take their time getting them off and hopefully be spotted!

I think I'll see what I can find to replace them today.

 

I wonder if it's vandals or thieves taking them? The former can be more difficult to deal with, because they are happy to do more damage to satisfy their bored and tiny little brains. But they might also be dumping the baskets somewhere afterwards.

 

A friend kept finding her basket trashed in the gutter, with bits of plant everywhere. She kept watch one night, and found that a bunch of lads were using it as a helmet as they goose stepped down the road. Eventually she got so fed up that she refilled it with the contents of her cat's litter tray. It seemed to do the trick.

 

Oh Clare - I just Love that story - perhaps I'll give it a go!! But seriously I don't think that it was vandals this time because was no sign in the area of any bits of plants etc. They were particularly colourful baskets with diascia, lobelia, two fushcias, a busy lizzie and a scarlet pelagonium.

We also have scarlet geraniums in spanish ring type wall pots and they would have been much easier to vandalise rather than the baskets.

I'm quite definately going to replace them now - just have to a quick look around at what's left - it might even be reduced by nowk-l

 

Oh they will be - there's a hanging basket place near Chichester and everything is half price there now. Annuals in garden centres are the same.

Good luck with this one

 

That is such a shame. But I have a thought. How about a sign posted near-by the plants saying. "These wonderful plants were a gift from the local Aids foundation, planted by the clients who go there due to our donation."

 

Prudence, so sorry to hear about this. It's annoying when you try to have a nice place and then idiots ruin it. To repeat - don't give up. Does it happen on particular days? Maybe Fridays or weekends when pubs kick out? No excuse but may give a reason to complain to your local council.

Try to identify these prats. I know, easier said than done. How is your street generally? Do you all take pride? If so, maybe you can all get together to sort it out. Hope the tips given here will help. I would say line with barbed wire, if I was allowed:thumb:

cheers