Australind residents outraged to have plants stolen from front garden in the dead of night
While porch pirates are nothing new, one Australind couple have found themselves victim of a bizarre theft of foliage.
On Wednesday last week, the pair — who don’t want to be named — woke to find four holes dug in their front garden with several of their mature plants nowhere to be found.
The couple living on Barnes Avenue said they were shocked and disheartened to have some of their most impressive plants missing after spending the last two years developing their front garden into a native plant oasis.
When they moved in, the front garden was a sea of red bricks which the pair dug up, mulched, and planted water-wise native plants like Geraldton wax and kangaroo paw — some of which are now gone.
After the theft, the couple said they had given their garden “blood, sweat and now tears”.
Initially they thought it may have been a wildlife accident, but on closer inspection saw the plants were “surgically” removed.
“I’ve seen quite a lot of poor human behaviour in my life, but you just don’t expect it to happen literally in your front yard,” they said.
“It’s just so sad because we have worked hard to do something not just for ourselves, but something the neighbours can enjoy as well.
“For someone to just disregard our efforts like that, it has made (us) very sad.”
The couple are at a loss why someone would target their home, noting most native plants like the stolen Geraldton wax would be unlikely to survive being uprooted.
“What are they going to try and do, sell it and make some money?” the resident asked.
“Maybe they’ll put it in their own garden and look at it every day, just to have it lingering on their conscience.”
The pair said they moved to Australind looking for a safe place to raise a family, but were now “disheartened”.
They have contacted the police, but would welcome the thieves having a change of heart and returning the plants.
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