A Richmond resident is warning people to secure their hanging baskets, after a spate of overnight thefts in his neighbourhood this week.
Andy Li heard a noise in the early hours of the Wednesday morning in his townhouse complex on Heather Street, near General Currie and Garden City roads in the centre of the city.
Li initially put the sound of his motion sensor alarm going off down to racoons, as he has had them nosing around before.
But when he checked his CCTV footage before going to work the next morning, he was shocked to see two different thieves sneaking up to his front door, three hours apart, and stealing his prized hanging baskets.
“The second time, it woke me up, as the motion alarm went off briefly,” Li told the Richmond News.
“I’m not sure if it’s the same person each time, but they are likely working together.
“Myself and my neighbour love our hanging baskets; we share a lot of our experience with each other, fertilizing and different things.
“Two were stolen from me, one from my neighbour and at least one from another neighbour.”
Li said the thefts from his front door were around 12:30 a.m. and 3:30 a.m. on Wednesday, July 11.
“I’m not sure if it was just our complex or across the whole area,” he added.
“I haven’t reported it to the police, as it was so small an incident; I just want other people to know that it’s happening in the area and to take precautions.
“(The baskets) are quite big though and you can only carry one or two at a time, so I’d be curious to know how they’re getting them around and where they’re taking them to?
“It’s not acceptable. I know some people can’t afford much, but why do they need to do that? And what are they stealing the baskets for?
“Is it for a big event or something? I guess it’s kind of funny. And I’d like to know how they’re transporting the baskets around.”
Li said he only paid $25 or so from Costco for the baskets, which, he says, “look much the same as everyone else’s hanging baskets!
“I’ve put in a little bit of time into them, though, so it’s a bit of a shame.”
