Somebody Keeps Stealing My Fruit Trees

sunnyc on 04/07/2017 - 14:16
Last edited 06/07/2017 - 19:17

I have caught somebody trying to steal my freshly planted fruit trees a couple times. I called the police but they are let go and does it again. Its the front lawn so my dogs can't be let out as they will just escape. Does anybody have a suggestion? I can only think of booby traps.

To be clear, they aren't stealing fruit. They are uprooting the tree and taking it.

UPDATE: I have CCTV footage, the police caught the person and let go because they just don't care. I also had my bike stolen 5 years with clear face image and I still don't have an update. When my car got nicked by another car and I reported it, they said if I wanted to go through with it, I might have to pay for damages. Clearly, police are doing their jobs protecting taxpaying citizens hence I come here looking for help.
UPDATE 2: I have a fence in my front lawn. It's not hard to open the gate and take the tree.
Update 3: My dog is a puppy husky and hates being chained ( It's inhumane) . Also, he is known to escape. Last week he escaped 3 times from my house. Twice ripped the fly screen and ran out. Once when I was taking out the rubbish and he followed me out and I had to chase him for 5 km. Luckily that time was 1 am in the middle of the night and only 3 cars were passing on parramatta road when he crossed.

Home & Garden

Comments

        • Hirolol on 06/07/2017 - 20:13

          @Hotkolbas: I think most people don't want to admit they know what lemon party is

      • faffleweez on 06/07/2017 - 10:32
        +5

        Those lemon-stealing whores…

        • [Deactivated] on 06/07/2017 - 19:15

          Or they need 12 lemons for a lemon centre peice?

    • sunnyc on 06/07/2017 - 19:11
      +1

      What if they wanted to start a lemon farm.

      • [Deactivated] on 06/07/2017 - 19:16

        Get a few of them fake poos and throw them around the base of the tree.

        • sunnyc on 06/07/2017 - 19:17

          Fake poos don't work because they are touching dirt anyways, its not a big deal. Also I got plenty of dog poo

        • [Deactivated] on 06/07/2017 - 19:21
          +1

          @sunnyc: well eat a bowl of carbs and give it a mr whippy…. oh yes dog poo will be good.

      • Hirolol on 06/07/2017 - 20:14

        Well then do it with orange trees.

        Maybe plant roses so if it's dark and they just try to pull it out of the ground they will get prickled

  • [Deactivated] on 05/07/2017 - 22:16
    +3

    I bet you didn't pee on your tree.

    How them theives gonna know whose tree that?

  • 1Kenobi on 05/07/2017 - 22:17
    +2

    Find out where they live
    Wait 5 years after they've done the hard work watering and fertilising the tree
    And steal back all the fruit every year.

  • Plug on 05/07/2017 - 22:48

    Of course if you grew the trees from seeds they wouldn't be stolen as the roots would have spread too far for them to be pulled from the ground by the time they got big enough to attract interest.

  • snc07 on 05/07/2017 - 23:09

    I swelter in the heat digging 56 holes in the ground planting little trees in my garden! I woke up and they were all gone! Overnight someone came and uprooted everything

  • stingy-oz on 06/07/2017 - 00:05
    +3

    If you intentionally cause bodily harm, then it's illegal however if you are putting out rats trap. you know those that with springs and snap whenever rats steps on them type? just get 20 or so and put them at random places.

    also you can lace rats glue around the tree surrounding. It's not dangerous but if someone put their hands on it and moves around it sticks on them. and if they drive, sticks to the steering wheel, touch the car etc. You get the idea. the Glue takes forever to dry and only washable by alcohol, thinners and not something you want to use on plastics.

    • sunnyc on 06/07/2017 - 19:09
      -2

      My puppy and his toys got caught on the glue. Still trying to get out the glue

  • prinsenhof on 06/07/2017 - 01:01
    +3

    Booby trap it. Maybe itchy powder, the guy is probably uneducated and might think the powder actually comes from the tree, then might not want it.

    Another one is condoms filled with mayonaise and set them around the tree, no one will want to go near it. Make sure you count them, if theres more than you set, then you might not want to go near it either.

  • nobarginsarehere on 06/07/2017 - 01:42
    +2

    Build a wall?

    • [Deactivated] on 06/07/2017 - 02:18
      +11

      And make the thief pay for it.

      • KayDat on 06/07/2017 - 11:34
        +3

        Only if the thief is Mexican

  • wukachuka on 06/07/2017 - 02:32
    +2

    A ghillie suit and a big stick.

  • [Deactivated] on 06/07/2017 - 04:55

    Get some Japanese glue traps for mice and set them up around the tree. Once they step into it, it will be quite amusing and if they happen to touch it with their hands, that nasty glue will make them regret the stealing.

  • vicosads on 06/07/2017 - 08:05
    +1

    if only we had american freedoms and you could legally shoot them

  • donkeydoc on 06/07/2017 - 09:14

    Build a fence yourself so your dogs can stay at the front.

  • Ayedeevee on 06/07/2017 - 09:39
    +3

    Cover your front yard in rakes?

    https://tinyurl.com/y8mc6q3z

  • mr_asstight on 06/07/2017 - 10:11
    +1

    are you sure they're stealing it or just removing it because they don't want a tree potentially blocking their view?

    • [Deactivated] on 06/07/2017 - 14:39

      That really is their problem.

      • sunnyc on 06/07/2017 - 19:08
        +1

        The tree is like less than 1m tall. The only view they are blocking is the grass.

        • serpserpserp on 08/07/2017 - 19:12

          Don't think he is actually being that serious.

    • abb on 07/07/2017 - 09:23
      +1

      What's a tree in someone else's front yard gonna block a view of? OP getting changed in the lounge room?!

  • Justinism on 06/07/2017 - 11:02
    +1

    What the actual (profanity)? Who steals (profanity) trees…. i will never understand some people…

  • inherentchoice on 06/07/2017 - 11:50
    +1

    I called the police but they are let go and does it again.

    If the police let the offender go and they re-offended. Complain to police again. It is theft and trespass and if you have evidence surely the police can press charges.

    Otherwise dig a deep hole and cover it over as a booby trap. Offender will be stuck in there until the cops come.

  • cameldownunder on 06/07/2017 - 12:17
    +2

    Go to bunnings, buy sand, cement, timber, chain, padlock. Mix cement and sand, add water, put in the box you made of timber, put the chain in.
    When mixture is try, chain the tree to the cement block with the chain and padlock.

  • IIGnomeII on 06/07/2017 - 13:16

    Could you not chain the tree to something fixed near the house? Not like they will massacre the tree just to walk away with a stump…
    That and a camera setup to monitor.

  • Cleremy on 06/07/2017 - 13:17
    +1

    My suggestion would be to confront them personally, you have a righteous cause and they are capitalising on your apathy.

  • FW190 on 06/07/2017 - 13:23

    for a non-lethal booby trap, maybe smear the tree with dog poo? (and fertilize the plant at the same time :))

  • lysp on 06/07/2017 - 14:21
    +1

    Motion sensor sprinkler?

  • tonsta on 06/07/2017 - 14:49
    +1

    Oh mi plums!!!!

  • Other on 06/07/2017 - 15:27

    Put a chain round the tree, otherwise get water balloons and chuck at offender. If they complain, press charges for trespass.

    Otherwise sue the offender (should be an easy case to win).

  • meatgasm on 06/07/2017 - 16:00
    +1

    Surround the tree with a high voltage electric wire fence.

  • Matslurpee on 06/07/2017 - 16:53

    Wrap some barbed wire around the trunk very loosely, set up some stakes around the tree and make a barrier with plastic/mesh.

  • kaleidoscope on 06/07/2017 - 18:07
    +1

    It could be a trick though… you know, piss you off so you'd install a cctv system and later they come and steal that too… 😬

  • resisting the urge on 06/07/2017 - 18:14
    +1

    Some trees have evolved a natural deterrent to thieving humans.

    Go find a stinging tree.

    Wearing gloves and working with EXTREME care bag some branches and leaves.

    Take them home, and once you've planted an extra tasty stand of new and improved, super expensive fruit trees, again break out your superhuman care (and super thick gloves that you will dispose of) tie them around the trunks with loose hesian strapping or something that won't harm the tree. Dispose of everything that touched the branches.

    From that point on, anyone who touches the stem will announce themselves to the whole street, and barely be able to make it home.

    And they will never take anything, alive or dead, ever again.

    Or if you are worried about your personal liability, simply plant a stinging tree in between each fruit tree and cut them down once the fruit trees have properly rooted. I can't imagine a judge finding for a tree thief who got stung naturally by a tree, whilst in the process of stealing one.

  • MessyG on 06/07/2017 - 18:17

    I really like the idea of the heavy rocks and the sprinklers. You could also attach something to the tree that makes a lot of noise so it will wake you up when they're taking it.

    I would personally cover the whole tree in Christmas lights and set up an elaborate tripwire arrangement that when tripped, would make the lights come on and dancing santa's and reindeer appear, alerting the whole neighborhood to the thief and giving everyone some lols. This daydream keeps getting more elaborate in my head.

    Heavy rocks will probs do the trick though, and CCTV ;)

  • GregMonarch on 06/07/2017 - 21:10

    1. Start an argument but back off quickly, then immediately go to the police, apply for an AVO or whatever they're called where you are. Since police know who it is, they can fill in their name on the form. Don't back down and leave until they submit the interim application. The thief then receives notification in mail of a hearing. Doesn't matter if the thief then takes one out too, because courts are getting wise to 'revenge avos'… so whoever gets in first gets theirs granted. Demand the police provide records of past thefts/reports and provide that at the hearing too. Cite that you're frightened for your safety/safety of wife/children/pets/revenge attacks/etc. Ask the judge for the maximum distance. Later phone the cops every time they breach the distance, along with proof-footage. They'll get sick of the fines and/or eventual gaol time if it continues. Wait six months for your house to be burned down at 2am.

    2. Dig the hole out further, deep-bury a hefty metal cage with drill holes they can't even get their fingers through. Bury one meter in the ground below the root ball, two meters above ground.

    3. If they rent they're probably doing things to everyone else too. Get the entire neighbourhood to complain until they're evicted.

    4. Larger version of this, using a heavy duty pump and stale urine (not anyone in the house - in case DNA testing becomes involved): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uIbkLjjlMV8

    5. Move to a property with a backyard.

    6. Buy an investment property with a backyard.

    7. Grow it in a someone else's backyard.

    8. A larger version of this that can be quickly removed (use wire mesh for example, so the grass still grows and leaves no sign): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=krCnzbsj9LU

    9. Give up and buy fruit.

    10. Move.

  • khomeini on 06/07/2017 - 21:21
    +1

    Okay maybe I haven't read all of this so firstly I'll ask… when you say you've "caught" them multiple times stealing your trees - how exactly do you catch them? Is it only on cctv? Do you yell at them and jump up and down until they load it into their van ignoring you? Or do you go out with your dog for a friendly game of cricket ball chasey and accidentally cricket bat bashy happens?

    Anyway you have one recourse… bug the tree with a traceable SIM or stuff a phone in there. Then spy on them for years.

    Bad luck Sunny (funny for us though) but seriously the police should be assisting you more especially if you have photo/video proof.

  • effgee on 06/07/2017 - 22:19

    Companion plantings using cacti ?

  • frostman on 07/07/2017 - 08:41

    scums.

    I caught a couple (mum/dad and their daughter) steal potted dwarf lemon tree branches from a cafe outing area.
    At first they pretended to be smelling the leaves and admiring the baby lemons, then they started breaking off branches and shoving it in plastic bags.
    Eventually the trio almost filled a bag of baby lemon and branches and knicked off. What annoys me is that they wish to have coffee at upmarket cafes, yet can't spare $50 at their local bunnings.

    I alerted the waitress and she said she noticed it but there isn't much she could do

  • abb on 07/07/2017 - 09:26
    +1

    Do you have a floodlight in your front yard?

  • IMFrugl on 07/07/2017 - 09:42
    +2

    Do what they do on paddocks - whack 3 or 4 star pickets deep into the ground around the tree and wire it up to keep unwanted animals, kids and thieves out. On the actual tree, feel free to wrap the main trunk with anything from mesh to nettles or thistle (to keep the nasty possums from eating up your tree of course). You can get thistle from rural farming areas. Good for fertilizer and very nasty to handle. What you do within the enclosure is entirely up to you as nobody should enter the enclosure as it has been wired close to protect the tree from wild animals.

  • jkcat on 07/07/2017 - 09:47

    Not sure if right place to ask but is it permitted to pick fruits from branches reaching out beyond the fence / boundary?

    • sunnyc on 07/07/2017 - 10:01

      I wouldn't mind too much but if you ask that would be nice. Because if you didn't pick it, someone else will definitely.

    • greatlamp on 07/07/2017 - 21:09

      From my understanding you are allowed to cut those branches off, so picking the fruit should be fine legally.

  • Oozie bargainer on 07/07/2017 - 10:30

    If you have a video recording of the theives stealing your tree, why can't police make a case and arrest the culprit.?

    If culprits are set to win here, they would get their confidence double to do more of these.. and worst is they would let the stories loose to their buddies and eventually even they would be thrilled to do similar stuff ?

  • elliot81 on 07/07/2017 - 11:51

    Hide a cheap GPS chip in the base of the roots somewhere. Use the CCTV footage to show the police someone stole it, then lead them right to their house. $50 on some belligerent old pensioner mirin your trees.

    • UFO on 07/07/2017 - 17:28

      That's actually not a bad idea!

      I mean, you're losing more money… but a geotag buried into the rootball of a tree would be a great way to track where it actually ends up.

      Potential warrant for police then!

  • rissile86 on 07/07/2017 - 12:04
    +2

    Park a Harley in your driveway

  • rissile86 on 07/07/2017 - 12:05

    Put CCTV footage sticker on your gate etc, make them think their being watched

  • pseidus on 07/07/2017 - 12:37
    +2

    I would suggest a good ol' shotgun and rocking chair. Do you have a front porch by any chance?
    Also keep those damn kids off your grass while you're at it.

  • [Deactivated] on 07/07/2017 - 13:04

    Motion sensor lights. Maybe wire some sprinklers to the sensor if you wanna get back at them a little.

    Other than that, dummy camera in obvious position and/or CCTV stickers.

  • mungas on 07/07/2017 - 16:30

    Where do you live?

  • Stphen on 07/07/2017 - 17:18

    How about a natural defence?

    A Thorn Garden:

    http://garden.lovetoknow.com/wiki/Thorns

  • UFO on 07/07/2017 - 17:25

    Fence each tree off until it's rooted into the ground and grown a little more.

    You can buy deep metal stakes (x4) and mesh them up securely.

    At the end of the day, if someone really wants to steal something they will.
    All you can do is try to deter them.

    From a CCTV point of view, getting a clear image of the person doing it is only half the battle. It's identifying that person that's difficult.
    Try adding more cameras so you can see what car they get in to, or what house nearby they walk in to.

    THEN, the cops at least have an avenue of enquiry.
    A photo on its own, unless he's a known criminal in the area, is difficult to go further with.

    If all else fails, A Current Affair would love to get nice footage of a guy stealing stuff. Especially if they can work out which door to knock on and harass. Makes for good TV publically admonishing someone apparently :).

  • John Kimble on 07/07/2017 - 17:29

    I had to chase him for 5 km

    Maybe I should get a dog, might help me lose some weight!

  • UFO on 07/07/2017 - 17:38

    BTW, you are allowed to use necessary and reasonable force to stop someone from entering or taking your property, and to detain them for the purpose of handing them over to Police.

    This doesn't mean you can beat them up, but if they happen to resist then that isn't your fault now is it.

  • JayM on 07/07/2017 - 18:56

    Plant some Marijuana next to said fruit trees and see which ones get stolen first :P

  • khomeini on 07/07/2017 - 20:37
    -1

    Caltrops.

    Worked for all the great generals in history.

  • greatlamp on 07/07/2017 - 21:36

    Plant some prickly pear cactus

    Natural barrier, and the fruit is delicious

  • tommy-darko on 07/07/2017 - 22:23

    Grow quince trees or cumquats.. Aint nobody stealin them! ;P

    • sunnyc on 07/07/2017 - 22:47
      +4

      It was a cumquat tree

      • John Kimble on 07/07/2017 - 23:21
        +1

        Wahaha

      • sunnyc on 07/07/2017 - 23:36
        +1

        Also not a joke. For real. Now we replaced the whole with an orange tree because the cumquat tree wasn't recovered.

        • airzone on 08/07/2017 - 09:28
          +1

          People will steal anything.. We had a thief at work who stole cheap bog roll and open milk cartons…

        • tommy-darko on 08/07/2017 - 20:24
          +1

          Damn, they must be desperate. I guess the suggestion of crab apples wouldn't be much of a decoy / deterrent for them either then.

  • orly on 08/07/2017 - 09:54

    Had two young men show up middle of the night (on CCTV) and yank out my frangipani tree which had just started to establish leaves. Walked casually away. Cops didn't care.

    • sunnyc on 08/07/2017 - 20:05
      -1

      Yeah right. Shoots innocent club goers and couldn't stop ‎Dimitrious Gargasoulas. Classic Police

  • romants on 08/07/2017 - 14:06
    +6

    Get dogs or bees, or dogs with bees in their mouths and when they bark they shoot bees at you.

  • kale chips suck on 08/07/2017 - 17:56
    +2

    You need this.

    https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=6QcfZGDvHU8

    Think water cannon & permanent purple dye though.

    Or get some wire rope and chain the tree down. Or connect it to a small block of wood caught in a peg. When the block is pulled out of the peg by the tree being taken away it closes and a circuit is complete. Use that as the on switch in your not harmful but bloody annoying security system. E.g., a pressurised sprinkler system drowns the yard, again in coloured dye, and the thief looks like a smurf for a week. Then put signs up locally warning "have you seen a blue person? They triggered a custom alarm stealing from me, again " Everyone will know it was them … If the media were to happen to hear about it you'd find the local police would suddenly take an interest and, maybe, actually do their job….

  • serpserpserp on 08/07/2017 - 19:18

    Mate go out and plant a top notch trees and have you and your boys camp out 24/7 and when they come to steal it BAM! Citizens arrest!

  • [Deactivated] on 09/07/2017 - 20:56

    Shoot them. Say they were swingers….

  • Ozbargainite on 10/07/2017 - 00:21

    Install one of these:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nTs7VRFV36c

  • jm48 on 02/10/2017 - 15:56

    A bee hive next to the tree,
    added bonus is great pollination.

  • sunnyc on 03/10/2017 - 14:32
    +2

    Quick update. They stole another one a fortnight ago. This time they came prepared with Hoodie, Facemask, Gloves. Came in 30 seconds in and out at 5:20 am in the morning. Took another tree. Police can't do anything. I have deployed my preventative measure but it didn't go off. I had a motion sensor alarm hidden in the bottom of the roots of the tree. Now I'm just flying my drone around my suburb looking for my trees

    • jm48 on 03/10/2017 - 15:17
      +1

      That's terrible, they seem to be targeting you and the police do nothing.
      I thought you knew who the culprits were previously,
      are you flying the drone over their yard ?

      • sunnyc on 03/10/2017 - 19:32

        The police won't give me their address so I'm still looking. It's not easy to find trees. Especially when you don't know whether it's a shrub or fruit tree. Also my drone has 30 minute flight time. I comb through 5-7 properties but I am not directly above the residential property because of laws.

  • chumlee on 03/10/2017 - 15:25

    Time to set a bear trap

    • sunnyc on 03/10/2017 - 19:32
      +1

      How does that work if it's visible

      • Zachary on 05/10/2017 - 00:41

        cover it over with some grass maybe? or sticks and branches?…actually for that matter, surround your tree with a circle or two of these…..hee hee hee….that should stop them in their tracks and then when you get home from work, you will find out who it is….

        • sunnyc on 05/10/2017 - 15:19

          yeah, gardener and dog and family walking around. these bear traps are pretty big

        • Zachary on 06/10/2017 - 15:17

          @sunnyc: ok, wrap the tree around with electrical fence wiring…..if they attempt to take the fence off to get to the tree, they will get a nasty shock! hahahaha And put a warning sign saying this fence is electrical(And another non-electrical smaller fence to keep the dog from getting too close)…should help warn family, gardner and hopefully even the thief from stealing it!

  • sunnyc on 08/02/2018 - 13:51
    +1

    Stole my trinidad scorpion moruga. Hopefully they eat one and have to call an ambulance. Then I got him good.

    • Zachary on 03/01/2019 - 15:01

      I had to google that up to see what it was…a chilly plant….nice…..has there any been more uprooting of plants or was that it?

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