Theft in Tennessee, Please Help

On 6-11-2009 I went up to stand up plants that had blown over after a severe storm came through. I found that someone had stolen about 50 of my Magnolia virginiana var. australis ‘Sweet Thing’ in 3gal. containers. I would appreciate if anyone can help me catch the Thieves that stole these plants. The 'Sweet Thing' Magnolias would have been stolen late on 6-10-09 or during the day on 6-11-09. I would give a reward of plant material for the apprehension of these Thieves. My nursery is in Morrison Tennessee.

Otis

Best of luck catching the scum....Deb

Oh no, so sorry to hear the bad news! Did you have any security cameras? Some people just stoop so low, and will do anything!
Good luck at finding them.

Check EBay, your local farmer's market and swap meets - you could find them where someone is selling plants.

Otis,

So sorry to hear about this theft. I hope the police help you find the people and that all will be fine.

I wish I had some plant of value to send to you; I do have a noid IRIS that I can send you a start of...or some tiny redbud seedlings. I think this is the correct picture of the iris.


April

edited to say: sorry, that is NOT the picture. I thought it was in thumbnail version...will look for it.

This message was edited Jun 13, 2009 10:41 PM

Okay...here is the correct picture:

Or...I can send you print of my art. It is modern computer manipulated art...so you may or may not like it. It is okay if you don't...my sister hates it but her daughters love it. LOL

Here is one:

(I call this one Tuxedo at the Ocean)

(Edited to say: Just offering to give something to help make something good out of the bad that happened to you so that good will overcome evil.)

This message was edited Jun 13, 2009 10:53 PM

Otis was just talking to a friend today about how so much has changed. I said if I put a dead toad out front, someone would steal it.
Check advertisements too of people selling plants and shrubs. They just might be stupid enough to advertise. Any houses close where they might have seen something? What about other businesses close by that were open and saw something?
I know it's no consolation but a gardening friend was telling me about her brother's theft. He had some real nice varieties of Japanese Maples, nice size, planted in front of his house. Someone actually came during the night and dug them up and stole them. It happened recently.
I certainly hope they catch who did this.
Lynn

Otis, I'm so sorry to hear of your theft....I'd also check any local flea markets...jerks will most likely try to get rid of them as quickly as possible without being traced, flea markets provide the broadest customer base with greatest anonymity...good luck getting at least some of them back
Cris

also craigslist lots of stuff on there

I would check the Nashville Flea Market. Im not sure what days it runs. Some theft of historic garden statuary from here was sold there.

Good luck to you in resolving this. I know it can leave a real bad taste to know the world has such rotten creeps in it.

Check local landscapers, or any new subdivisions, housing being built around the area.

Golly, what good suggestions....are you having any luck??? Deb

You could put an ad in the newspaper asking anyone to call you with suspicions.

What a shame!! I bet your local radio station would be willing to put out an alert on these. Best of luck in finding the scoundrels.

The magnolias that were stolen were a cultivar that I have patented. Patent # pp17,814 I think that someone stole them for propagation wood. This magnolia is a dwarf evergreen Sweetbay. In my area there a lot of nurseries 95% of them are very honest people. About 5 or 6 years ago someone stole 30 Red Dragon Japanese maples that I had been growing 15 years. I now have my 8,000 Bloodgood Japanese maple on video.

Otis

Another thing you might do is put up a video camera....I guess a lot of people do that any more and catch crooks.

Hubby and I are even thinking about it.

i know this may sound trivial - but i do hope this gets reported to the police.

this may be a new wave of crime to come. many are out of work. some may have few morals and seek a life of crime not previously thought of.

you may also send a memo to your local extension office.
While they do not 'handle' theft - they do SEE a lot!

btw - check with accountant but documented theft is a tax write-off
(next april 15th?).

I'm so sorry this happened! Best of luck to you finding the plant thieves!

Any news? Did you find the culprits?

Inquiring Minds Want To Know....Deb

very sad!

we had a worker once -who bought a pickup from us
then didnt show up for a few days
when he came back with the pickup you could see where it said
Pumpkins for sale spray painted on the side! then spraypaint through the letters!!

Guess what work was----pumpkin for harvesting!!!!!
guess he got a few loads after hours!!!
LOL

good luck!!! what a world we are living in these days!!!

My Grandpa always asked "What is this world coming to??"

I was wondering if you ever found your plants? So terrible!
In my language we have a saying " Stolen goods don't thrive" I sure hope it holds truth for you!
Christie

Hope you find your plant material.
Keep at it you may be surprised that you are able to track them down.

We sold a used computer to someone in Canada. Mailed it UPS. When the purchaser went to the UPS store to pick it up COD. He found it had been stolen. The next Sunday, he found someone selling the same type of computer in the classifieds. He went to check it out. For some reason he thought to check the serial number from the computer he was to have received from us with the one the "gent" was selling. When he discovered they matched. He left and called the police. Turned out the "gent" also worked for UPS.

So good luck with your hunt.