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A Christchurch garden center is increasing security after dozens of bonsai plants were stolen in an alleged “robbery on demand” robbery.
Terra Viva manager Kristo Kukk said 46 bonsai plants were stolen in what appeared to be a well-planned robbery around 5 a.m. on December 26.
“They knew exactly what they were doing and they knew what they wanted.”
They also took several expensive Morris & James pots, water pumps, succulents and a few perennials. The stolen goods were worth around $ 7,000.
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Kukk was very sad because they took his oldest bonsai, a tōtara.
“He’s been with me for about 10 years.”
JOHN KIRK-ANDERSON / Stuff
The manager of the Terra Viva garden center, Kristo Kukk, is upset that several bonsai plants were stolen in a robbery on Boxing Day.
No one ever bought it because it didn’t look the best, but Kukk had plans to improve it.
“It was very old and had a lot of potential.”
Kukk believed that thieves were “stealing to order” and garden centers were being attacked by bonsai plants, which were retailing for more than $ 100 each.
“They are expensive items.”
The criminals didn’t care what they stole and would take anything of value, Kukk said.
“There is value in plants. Plants are expensive, and for good reason, because it takes a lot of work to get them to the size and quality that they are. “
JOHN KIRK-ANDERSON / Stuff
Bonsai plants cost over $ 100 at garden centers.
Indoor plants are becoming more popular across the country, with rare examples selling for thousands of dollars online, while scammers have duped desperate shoppers out of thousands on social media.
In September, a rare and highly sought-after variegated monstera was stolen from the Christchurch Botanical Gardens orchid house. Experts said the plant could fetch thousands on the black market for plants.
The plant was never found.
In October, a dozen tropical plants that cost thousands of dollars were stolen from the Wellington Botanical Garden.
The thieves took the plants, some of which were one meter high, as well as cuttings.
JOHN KIRK-ANDERSON / Stuff
Several Morris & James vessels were also stolen in the Boxing Day raid.
Terra Viva had security cameras, but staff couldn’t identify the thieves and there were no cameras on the street, so the vehicle couldn’t be seen.
Kukk said he had already planned a system upgrade before the robbery, but would now add even more motion-sensing cameras and spotlights.
He had been scouring various websites and social media to find someone to sell his plants and pots, but hadn’t found any.
Anyone buying bonsai plants online needed to ask where they came from and ask for a receipt as proof of purchase, Kukk said, although thieves could find ways around it too.
A police media spokeswoman said anyone with information about the robbery was encouraged to call 105 and cite the file number 201227/0640.
