Crime Fighting Flowers?

14 years ago

Residents fight burglars with flower power

Fri Jun 12, 10:41 am ET

TOKYO (Reuters) Â A Tokyo district plagued with burglaries has turned to planting flowers to beautify its streets and help stamp out crime.

"'Operation Flower' began about three years ago. By planting flowers facing the street, more people will be keeping an eye out while taking care of the flowers or watering them," said Kiyotaka Ohyagi, a Suginami City official.

"The best way to prevent crime is to have more people on the lookout."

Suginami, with a population of 528,800, saw a record 1,710 break-ins in 2002.

When a neighborhood watch group found that there were fewer burglaries in buildings on flower-lined streets, Suginami decided to kick off Operation Flower and asked volunteers to plant seeds on side streets and in front of their homes.

The flowers are part of a wider crime prevention campaign. The district also has 9,600 volunteer patrollers and 200 security cameras set up in areas where there are frequent break-ins. It also emails crime information daily to residents.

Suginami says its efforts have paid off, with the number of burglaries falling to 390 in 2008, down almost 80 percent from 2002.

"Our residents are very conscientious about preventing crime, and they are very active," Ohyagi said.

(Reporting by Yoko Kubota; Editing by Chris Gallagher

Here is a link that might be useful: Residents fight burglars with flower power

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (4)

pitimpinai
14 years ago
I love this story. It has to be Japanese to be so sensitive about these things.

In my neighborhood, burglars would take flowers pots too. My stupid plastic swan planter was stolen off my front porch some years ago. Now, I plant in very heavy planters such as a tire planter found in the alley or a half whiskey barrel. And I tie my lighter planters to the railings with wire.

A friend who participated in a garden walk said last year she had a hostanap from her own garden. She had just planted it! This is in a ritzy Chicago suburb now.
nancy_drew
Original Author
14 years ago
I'm so angry! I went to the pool the other day and one of our geraniums was stolen right out of the ground. I went back yesterday and another one was gone! Who does this kind of sh!t anyway? Right out there in public in front of God and eveybody!!

It's can't be a "Gardener"... a real gardener is far more concerned with sharing plants to ever take one like that.
Related Professionals
Franconia Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · New Mexico Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Wheeling Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Springfield Landscape Contractors · Edmond Landscape Contractors · Ashburn Landscape Contractors · Commack Landscape Contractors · Dinuba Landscape Contractors · Franklin Landscape Contractors · Fuquay-Varina Landscape Contractors · Golden Landscape Contractors · Los Banos Landscape Contractors · Porterville Landscape Contractors · Tustin Landscape Contractors · Irvington Landscape Contractors
mmqchdygg
14 years ago
Personally, I think it's dumb to 'report' on what you're doing to prevent crime. If you see the statistic, and find a solution, do it secretly! Criminals will only see this as a challenge. Think of the delinquents that you say "you can't do this because..." They do it just to spite you.
My guess is now that it's 'public knowledge,' the criminals will just be that much bolder.

Not saying it's a bad idea, but you may as well just say "hey criminal...I dare you to get by this"
nancy_drew
Original Author
14 years ago
I don't know about that...

In my condo complex there are lot of units that have a security system in place. I see quite a few signs for a company called ADT. Those ADT signs mean nothing to a professional thief, but they DO mean something for the opportunist. The kind of thief that sees a chance and then acts... or the kid looking for something easy.