The great plant caper: Woman caught for theft in Wilderness

WILDERNESS NEWS - A spate of plant thefts in Wilderness has left the residents and businesses there increasingly frustrated.

And these incidents are seemingly escalating beyond private gardens. The latest theft occurred in Freesia Avenue on Monday morning, 9 February, when a small to medium hibiscus plant was dug out and stolen.

The residents say the problem has persisted for some time, beginning with isolated incidents and increasing in frequency. “It may seem like a small issue, but clivias worth thousands of rands have been stolen in the past,” a resident said. “These plants are reportedly being stolen and resold.”

Last week, a woman was caught on CCTV taking an item from a local nursery without paying. The nursery owner subsequently opened a case with the police.

The situation escalated on Monday when the suspect was arrested. According to Pine Pienaar, leading officer of the Wilderness Defence Force (WDF), the woman was apprehended at about 10:50 in Heights Road on charges of theft and trespassing.

Pienaar said he had seen her at a popular hitch-hiking spot behind Spar on Monday morning and kept his eye on her.

When she tried to leave, Pienaar and a police officer intercepted her on Heights Road and took her into custody.

“During the transport along the N2, she tried to escape by opening the vehicle’s rear door, but some road workers assisted and she was apprehended again. We returned her to the WDF head office, where I restrained her with handcuffs and ensured she was secured in the police vehicle.”

The woman appeared in the George Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday where she was released on a warning to return to court at a later date.An alleged plant thief was spotted with a suspicious-looking clivia protruding from her backpack.