Good for you Mike. Yeah it does happen. The plant bandits cut flowers, steal fruit etc.
I would report his license plate and vehicle description to the cops or at least the owners. Chances are he has done it to other homeowners. He probably sells them at a business, flea market, garage sale etc
They should set up a sprinkler system, alarm or floodlight with motion detector. A video cam with motion detector would be great.

How would one know it wasn't the Owner or her Family?

Shoot first, ask questions later ;)

You are a true Samaritan, Mike. Just be careful with people like that....
thieves are usually cowards, but occasionally they're capable of real violence.

Nothing wrong with violence...as long as both parties agree to the rules.

Josh

Good for you, Mike. Yes, people will steal another's plants. They also take cuttings and seeds without asking, which is a form of theft, too. They'll do this when walking by someone's home or from the garden center.

Mike, My Hero!! :)

Did the guy see you leave your house? In other words, does he know where you live?
It's too bad you didn't get his LP#, in case.

You should definately visit your neighbors, tell them what you witnessed. And they should call the police. Since you confronted the thief, you can give an accurate description, of him and his car.

It's too bad we have to bolt our possessions. Wish we had alarms and cameras, but not everyone can afford it.
I don't mean to sound offensive, but dogs/cats/birds shouldn't be adopted for any reason other reason than love.

Someone stole my friends 12'+ Rubber Tree. She was so proud of that plant. The RT was in their fenced in yard, to boot..how low can a human be?

Keep us posted, Mike..I hope the creep gets busted, and someone steals his car. Toni

You go Mike!!! If someone was trying to take my beloved plants I would surely want a neighbor to let me know!! Ellen

Hello everyone. I went by and spoke to owner and got a huge thank you by a lady there, and even a few tears..
He was so greatful for what I did since that one plant, the jasmine has been with her for over 10 years, handed down by her mom from Cambodia! It is priceless as she said. Took for ever for it to grow that tall.

She says she is going to keep her porch light on and the shades up to deter the theifs and since her son is an electrician, she is going to have him install a sensor light that goes on in her room when someone walks onto her porch..She has no room any where else outside to set it.

The plate number was a great idea, but too bad I was too tired to think of that one..:-(

I am just glad her heart was joyful when she saw that someone saved her precious plants..:-)
If anyone was to ever walk into my backyard, they would have lots to steal, but not before I hope my neighbors caught them or the loose bobcat gets them!.

Mike

I hope she thinks to take cuttings of it. Leaving the shades up though could increase breakins...just a sad world we live in.

It really is rare to hear of a nice story like this.
Thanks for letting us know Mike.

Good job Mike......I had some prized C&S stolen from my front yard. Most of them were gifts that I had for years. I was so pissed I cruised the neighborhood many times looking for them and even checked the local swap-meet. Never found them but now my plants are in the back yard. Too bad you couldn't have maced the scum-bag!

Hi Mike!
That's great you were there when you were, and able to stop them! Now that they know they can take mesures to protect them.

And so glad your O.K.! ;)
Josh is right, people are so unpredictable..

I know I would have done the same as you though.. I have no tolerance for stuff like that.

I have plants that have more sentimental value than anything too, and would hate to lose them. I keep them safe, knowing things like this happen..I have others I will be moving to the back yard soon to protect them.

Josh,
Thanks for the laughs!..lol! ;)

JoJo

Glad to hear they were able stop them. Plant poaching is a big problem here. There was even an article about it in the Washington Post a couple years ago. Theives were pulling ornamentals right out of people's yards using chains and a truck in the middle of the night. There were targeting things like Japanese maples and other high priced plants. The homeowner would wake up to a big hole and tire tracks in their yard.

Many bonsai (prime targets) websites have areas devoted to descriptions of stolen trees in the hope that someone will recognize these trees (quality bonsai are individually recognizable by their many unique characteristics), some of which are easily valued in the thousands of dollars - not to mention the loss of time and effort it took to develop these trees. It may sound strange, but after tending a tree for decades, the loss can be extremely difficult from two emotional perspectives. One - it's like losing a cherished pet (something that's eminent for me); and two - there is the feeling that you've been violated, which in itself can cause a whole range of feelings from extreme anger to fear - even both.

Al

Find several, large pots. Find several, large E. Tirucallis and any of the opuntia species that have lots of really nasty glochids. Put those in the pots. Gussy these up to make them really prime targets for thieves. Hide all of your important plants behind them.

I'm not very nice, am I ;)

amccour..
I recently had solar lights taken out of my front yard. The only ones not taken were near my barrel and saguaro cactus. go figure..lol..

So.. I got some real mean cactus to put around the rest of the lights when I replace them. :)

I guess i'm not very nice either..LOL! (great minds think alike.;)

Al~
I can see where a bonsai would be a target. It's neat that there's websites out there to try and recover them.

And I can see where one can love them like a pet. ;)

I have two plants that I keep safe and somewhat hidden where only I can enjoy them. I would go nuts if anything happend to them!
One is a beautiful succulent from a member here, I call "Rose". :)
The other a jade gift from a memeber here. :)

JJ

JJ, so how did you come up with the name 'Rose' for this plant? What kind of plant might this be?

Mike:

My thought on this was to be careful before confronting someone like this. Who knows, someone who would do something like this might have a weapon. Glad it turned out well, though.

Christopher

Dori - Mike won't mind if we're OT just a little. It's an Echeveria named Rose that I sent JJ. It's a plant that holds considerable meaning for me because of a flower in a book that was special to me and a dear friend I lost a few years ago. I only share her with those I know will tend her with care. I've shared her with many over the years after finally learning to propagate her. I won't share the story, but sharing the plant with those that I know will care for her makes it somehow seem like I'm honoring my friend.

Al

Hi...nice job helping that person out like that to save their plants...
as you all have said to keep your plants in the back is a good and safe place for them...
its just that I for one really like driving arround and seeing others plants and yards, and get ideas for my yard..
and when I going garage saleing I like to see peoples yards and house plants they have outside..
a couple of weeks ago I happened to stop at a sale and the lady had a huge jade, the branches were as big as your arm...and also she had 2 burro tail plants that were hung from the eave of the house and they both touched the ground they were beautiful..she said they were 10 years old....how she takes them in and out of her house without them breaking up...
true plant lovers look and don't take...
we just ask for a cutting..;)
linda....