San Francisco

San Francisco Residents Report Rise in Plant Thefts

Residents from all over San Francisco are reporting a spike in disappearing plants.

Plant poachers in San Francisco are going green and stealing landscaping in what appears to be a growing trend. And while it may not sound that serious, it is criminal and costly.

One man's security camera captured video of someone stealing succulents from a planter box. Across the street, the building manager said his plants disappear frequently.

It was the same story down Sanchez Street, and it is a trend that may be linked to the drought.

Scott James woke up in the Castro a few weeks ago to a planter box full of holes. A check of building surveillance video reveals a thief digging in. James said the footage shows a man with a big cart and a trowel taking the plants.

James posted the video online. He said people from neighborhoods all over San Francisco are responding with similar stories of disappearing plants. The most common target is succulents.

"The plants that are being stolen are succulents, which as we know are resistant to drought--they don't use a lot of water, they're also easy to transplant." James said.

Nancy Hammer said plants are like a breathe of fresh air in the urban environment and seeing them disappear is frustrating.

"She has cascading flowers over this normally, not terribly good-looking concrete retaining wall," Hammer said. "And she has great pleasure in doing this, but a lot of people just take the plants out. So, it's sad"

No one is sure what the thieves are doing with the plants. Some speculate they are selling them. It's a crime most do not report.

β€œIt's almost embarrassing a little bit to say, 'I had my plant got stolen,'” Zac Green said.

But police say victims should file a report to make officers aware of the problem.

Green says while it's a petty crime, it is personal.

"It doesn't feel good, but it's a part of living in the city," Green said. "There is things that go on."

Neighbors said if their succulents disappear again, they will be replaced with grasses.

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