# garden theft



## oirish (29 Aug 2006)

hi folks 

been away for a while [not that kind of away?!!?!] I was wondering if there are any threads on garden theft or any advice on where to find info on statistics [etc] of garden theft in ireland. your stories etc would be most appreciated!

enjoy your day
peter


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## legend99 (29 Aug 2006)

Awkward enough to steal a garden I'd say...


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## CCOVICH (29 Aug 2006)

oirish said:


> hi folks
> 
> been away for a while [not that kind of away?!!?!] I was wondering if there are any threads on garden theft or any advice on where to find info on statistics [etc] of garden theft in ireland. your stories etc would be most appreciated!
> 
> ...





Was something stolen while you were away?  Or is this _Shooting the Breeze/Letting Off Steam_ material?


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## oirish (29 Aug 2006)

CCOVICH said:


> Was something stolen while you were away? Or is this _Shooting the Breeze/Letting Off Steam_ material?


 
uk reports say 18,000 garden thefts are 'reported' each year; show 1 in 7 gardens are stolen from every summer - but irish figures dont show any difference between 'theft' and 'garden theft'. Therfore we have no idea [please note: statistically generated] on garden crime prevention. Based on the UK figures one, in theory, has more chance of their new tree, lawnmower, hanging basket, tools, plants etc being robbed or stolen than a plant has of surviving this winter coming.

I was more hoping the general info may help me to become more informed on any level.

all thoughts welcome
oirish


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## Red (29 Aug 2006)

Does washing from a clothes line count ??
I had my washing & solar garden lights stolen one bank holiday weekend.
The guards nearly laughed down the phone at me when I reported it........


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## oirish (29 Aug 2006)

at least thats a start to this thread - sorry about the clothes and lights red - I personally just find it all [when it happens to me] a bit impolite. I had a nipper take some flowers and fruit from my garden whilst the parents waited outside - but the parents just laughed - in my day [30 years old only] my folks wouldve made me apologise at least! [and a clip 'round the ears - more probable] 

cheers
oirish


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## Red (29 Aug 2006)

I know it's mad.

People just seem to help themselves to what they want, when they want  - no conscience at all.

In the last house I lived in there were wooden slats to divide the gardens.
Every time our neighbours kid threw a ball over the wall, the father would live the slats & let the child run into our garden & retrieve said ball. 

I wouldn't mind but I always threw the ball back......


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## Leo (29 Aug 2006)

OK, now this is deffinitely STB material.
Leo


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## BillK (29 Aug 2006)

Why not keep the ball and throw the child back?


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## ashambles (29 Aug 2006)

18000 reported thefts and 1 in 7 gardens stolen from, using similar extrapolation there's up to 400,000 burglaries a year in the UK for simplicity lets say there's as many houses as gardens that would be 22 in 7 houses stolen from, even dividing by say 8 for apartments that would be almost 3 in 7. 

OK a burglary is more likely to be reported - but still going from 18000 reported to 1 in 7 actual thefts sounds wrong.


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## liteweight (29 Aug 2006)

Last year I was sitting in my living room when I noticed an old man walk up the driveway. Wondering why it took him so long to ring the bell, I got up and looked out the window.  There he was ... lifting my palm tree and walking back out!

I hammered on the window and then ran out the door after him. I must say he was sprightly cos he was legging it down the road before I got out! When he saw me following, he dropped the pot and hurled abuse at me. He really behaved as if I had no right to look for my property back. What was more surprising was that he was about 70 if he was a day!!!


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## blueshoes (30 Aug 2006)

in my old house one bank holiday weekend i had  3 garden nomes robbed and also a big fake sheep (it wasnt real)  but it was very expensive.

I was so angry, anyways ive big locks on my gates  now.


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## ney001 (30 Aug 2006)

A big fake sheep is not something you see very often in a house garden - it's an open invitation to kid to take it - did you not get any ransom demands?


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## ClubMan (30 Aug 2006)

blueshoes said:


> a big fake sheep (it wasnt real)


You mean it wasn't a real fake?


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## Leo (30 Aug 2006)

Sounds like a very "jazzy" garden...


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## ney001 (30 Aug 2006)

Maybe it was this crowd 


or better still it was probably the neighbours


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## oirish (30 Aug 2006)

ashambles said:


> 18000 reported thefts and 1 in 7 gardens stolen from, using similar extrapolation there's up to 400,000 burglaries a year in the UK for simplicity lets say there's as many houses as gardens that would be 22 in 7 houses stolen from, even dividing by say 8 for apartments that would be almost 3 in 7.
> 
> OK a burglary is more likely to be reported - but still going from 18000 reported to 1 in 7 actual thefts sounds wrong.


 
not my stats - one i believe is from the police service [18,000 - that are reported] the other is from insurance companies - quick web search!

cheers
oirish


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## Megan (30 Aug 2006)

blueshoes said:


> in my old house one bank holiday weekend i had 3 garden nomes robbed and also a big fake sheep (it wasnt real) but it was very expensive.
> 
> I was so angry, anyways ive big locks on my gates now.


 
Do you think dogs might have taking a liking to your fake sheep? They can be a bit dumm -  the dogs I mean not your fake sheep. I wouldnt like to offend you. Did you replace your sheep and have you got a herd number? Is that the reason for your locked gates?


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## ney001 (30 Aug 2006)

Just out of curiosity, what was the sheep made of? - was it a joke sheep? - I have seen some very odd gardens in Dublin but a big sheep is a new one on me!


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## roxy (30 Aug 2006)

It was very expensive you say? Like how much? You have to tell us more, the curiousity will drive us mad!


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## blueshoes (30 Aug 2006)

hi guys.

well tanx for everyone taking the p**s outta me but im just telling you all what got robbed outta my garden.

It was made outta stone, €80.  I also had a cow also €80 it wasnt robbed.  If you seen my garden you would understand anyways. and it is quite jazzy leo!

I didnt replace the sheep.  got new garden nomes though.  I dont think any of the neighbours wud have took them like y wud they take the sheep and not the cow? Plus i havent seen it in there gardens.

Anyways i didnt care about the nomes but at the time i was very upset about the sheep.


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## macnas (30 Aug 2006)

Hi Blueshoes,
 I am really sorry to hear of your loss. Thank you for your mooving account of the robbery. Keep a close eye on your arden nomes as you dont want another baad experience. There were some similar stories to yours in the Bray area....do you live near there?


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## Guest127 (30 Aug 2006)

few years ago ( ok good few years ago) I planted a few little trees in the front garden, and duly tied them to fairly strong stakes. noticed one morning that the the trees were still there but the stakes were missing. couldnt make it up. blueshoes:


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## ney001 (31 Aug 2006)

I didnt replace the sheep.  got new garden nomes though.  I dont think any of the neighbours wud have took them like y wud they take the sheep and not the cow? Plus i havent seen it in there gardens.

Anyways i didnt care about the nomes but at the time i was very upset about the sheep.[/QUOTE]


I guessing that if the neighbours took it - they didn't take it so they could put it in their own garden!  - presumably the sheep was smaller then the cow so maybe it was all they could carry!.  Fair play to you though - sounds like you have a bit if imagination - did they have names?


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## Brendan Burgess (31 Aug 2006)

I have no back garden, so I had strawberries growing in my front garden. Neighbours, some of whom, I knew had strawberries growing in their own back gardens, often brazenly came into the garden and helped themselves. 

So I put up a big angry sign:



> Pick you own strawberries


 
and would you believe it, the problem just got worse. 

Brendan


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## oirish (31 Aug 2006)

Brendan said:


> I have no back garden, so I had strawberries growing in my front garden. Neighbours, some of whom, I knew had strawberries growing in their own back gardens, often brazenly came into the garden and helped themselves.
> 
> So I put up a big angry sign:
> 
> ...


 
Brendan 

sorry about that mate - but this is great material! [sorry] but it actually sounded really funny when i read it 

best wishes
oirish


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## ney001 (31 Aug 2006)

Of course the problem just got worse! - People will do the opposite of what they're being told to do just to annoy you.  A big angry sign is an invitation to take the p**s out of you!


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## gianni (31 Aug 2006)

A little off topic but...

There was a garden in Ballyboden in Dublin that must have had 100's of ornaments; gnomes / various animals / birdbaths / busts of JP XXIII and the like in it. We were brought to see it when we were kids. I remember it featured on the Late Late Show too, the lady who owned the house was presented with a sculpture of the Late Late owl by Gaybo...which she promptly placed in her garden.


Does anyone know if this garden still exists ?


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## MugsGame (31 Aug 2006)

> Pick you own strawberries



Thanks Brendan, I may take you up on that invitation. Remind me again, your house is beside the sky-hook factory?

Rather than erecting a sign, could you not train your strawberry plants to talk? I talk to the plants and trees in my garden all the time. Recently the apple trees have started to parrot things back at me, so it should be possible to train strawberries too. I'd try it myself, but I haven't botany strawberries. A Japanese friend tells me bonsai trees answer back the miniature planting them!


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## ClubMan (31 Aug 2006)

I've heard that you can train berries to talk alright but it's supposed to be a long sloe process.


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## aonfocaleile (31 Aug 2006)

gianni said:


> A little off topic but...
> 
> There was a garden in Ballyboden in Dublin that must have had 100's of ornaments; gnomes / various animals / birdbaths / busts of JP XXIII and the like in it. We were brought to see it when we were kids. I remember it featured on the Late Late Show too, the lady who owned the house was presented with a sculpture of the Late Late owl by Gaybo...which she promptly placed in her garden.
> 
> ...


 
I remember that! I'll ask a colleague who lives nearby and let you know!


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## Marion (31 Aug 2006)

> I've heard that you can train berries to talk alright



Yes, it's the currant fad.

Marion


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## roxy (31 Aug 2006)

Marion said:


> Yes, it's the currant fad.
> 
> Marion


 
No raisin why not.


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## RainyDay (31 Aug 2006)

cuchulainn said:


> I planted a few little trees in the front garden, and duly tied them to fairly strong stakes. noticed one morning that the the trees were still there but the stakes were missing


Well done.


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## Guest127 (1 Sep 2006)

not rare


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## Gordanus (8 Sep 2006)

Brendan said:


> I have no back garden, so I had strawberries growing in my front garden. Neighbours, some of whom, I knew had strawberries growing in their own back gardens, often brazenly came into the garden and helped themselves.
> 
> So I put up a big angry sign:
> 
> ...



LOL!

Letter in Irish Times recently re hill-walkers:   Farmer puts up sign in field

"The farmer allows free access to his field; but the bull charges"


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