By Brendan Rees
Green-fingered thieves have been caught on camera wheeling out thousands of dollars’ worth of plants and other goods at a Narre Warren North plant nursery.
The Squatting Frog Plant Nursey owner Geoff Caldecoat said two intruders had cut a hole in the fencing at the front of the nursery about 4.45am on Saturday 8 February.
The nursery’s CCTV footage, he said, appeared to show the hooded males wonder around the Heatherton Road nursery for about 40 minutes where they loaded up trolleys and a wheelbarrow full of plants, potting mix and composting bags.
Mr Caldecoat said the men wearing gloves, wheeled out the stolen goods to a white van, believed to be a Volkswagen, which was parked on Belgrave-Hallam Road near the Coles Express service station.
“It was somebody targeting plants to plant their own garden out,” Mr Caldecoat said.
It’s believed the males took about $4000 to $5000 worth of items.
“They didn’t touch the building at all,” Mr Caldecoat said. “You can see them going up to the windows peering in”.
The nursery has taken to Facebook in the hope the community with any information will come forward.
“Please keep an eye out maybe your neighbour is planting out their garden,” the nursery’s Facebook post said.
Among the items stolen were about 30 to 40 plants including Japanese maples, fruit trees, fruit trees, dwarf pear trees, fig trees, crepe myrtles, dwarf crepe myrtles, three trolleys, a wheelbarrow, potting mix, and mulch.
Mr Caldecoat said he was devastated and his partner left in tears; adding it had been some years since the nursery had been hit by thieves.
“We used to get broken into quite a few years ago … but since the service station next door to us has gone 24 hours we don’t get too many dramas,” he said.
Mr Caldecoat said the culprits also allegedly targeted a cafe on site after staff told him two trays of bread – dropped off in a delivery – went missing.
Narre Warren police are investigating.
Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
