We have! We had the cutest concrete statue of two little black bears perched right by our front door. We went out one morning, and they were gone! It was kind of heavy, they didn't take the big bear that was near by, probably because it really was too heavy for one person to lift! Our neighbor had a rather expensive flower pot, planted, on their frontdoor stairway that someone walked off with. They weren't interested in the plants, just the pot, because they had to drag it across the front yard, losing the soil and plants, just to get the pot! Makes you wonder, why? Now, we don't dare put anything decorative out, for fear someone will walk off with it!

J

Last year a PDX area garden art clepto was finally caught; they had a large stash of stolen items. Made the TV news.

Check eBay--that's where a lot of stolen library books get sold, maybe garden art also.

Hi.
I'm fairly new here but here's my chance to sound off!
I had wanted for years one of those St Francis statues and lo and behold the PO had one way back in the woods part of the yard. I put him in my front garden where he lived among the flowers for two years. Last week, someone stole it.
I can't imagine that someone who has the nerve to steal a statue of a SAINT is having a very nice time. It's my only solace... Loree in Tacoma

Sometimes it's meth addicts. They will take anything that isn't nailed down and sell it for cash. Metal beams along the roadside that keep people from going off cliffs end up stolen and sold as scrap metal. Manhole covers the same way.

But other times these twits just like the thrill of shopping in other peoples yards. Like when my beautiful irises were stolen out of the back yard. There is an old saying: "Fences make good neighbors." (Maybe electrified with razor ribbon...of course they might steal the fence and sell it for scrap.)

It is true that along with the Meth epidemic comes a new class of criminals. I was eating in a teriyaki restaurant a few weeks ago with my kids. A youngish woman waiting on line to order, stole the tip jar and fled. The owner got a tooth knocked out in a tussle with the thief's boyfriend, and people were nearly run down as they fled in a car. There was less than $20 in the jar they stole.

We live in the city, but I hear meth is rampant in rural areas.

Meth addicts aren't required as part of garden theft.

Many years ago -- perhaps 30 or so -- in southern CA, many folks lost plants, garden art, birdbaths and more. Typically, things were missing just prior to a weekend, often a major holiday. Then were sold off the truck or at swap meets.

Bottom line: If you can't stand losing it, it doesn't go outdoors. The front yard & front porch may be the most risky sites but the backyard isn't safe either.

I'm sorry to hear that others are in the same boat as me... I did check eBay and Craigslist yesterday, but I'm not really holding out hope that I'll find my things again.

I was talking with my Mom about this, and she reminded me of a time in the early 80's when I was young and we came home from a day at the beach to find that all of her garden gnomes had run off. She had over 20 of them that she'd painted herself, and had in all the flower beds in our front and back yard. She never did find them, and even though it was the middle of the day none of our neighbors saw anything (back when everyone knew their neighbors)...

Well, I guess I'm going to need to chain up everything in the yard to keep it safe... hopefully.

D-

That's too bad! I've had really good luck with my garden art and plants. I live in a little courtyard apartment a few blocks from greenlake, and I've never had anything taken (despite dire predictions by my mother!). The park and ride and a highschool are very close too, so I guess maybe the fact that the courtyard doesn't allow passers by to readily see my garden has protected my stuff. Anyway, I hope that you catch the thief.

Montel Williams show had somebody on this morning who had someone come to his San Diego area house to steal things from his car parked right outside. The house is inside a fenced country property, 300' back from the road. (He later found out who they were by putting up an infrared camera).

Last year on the local TV news there was a bit about a yard gnome that was stolen and taken overseas. It was returned to its owner complete with photos of it in travel scenes!

The travelling garden gnome is from a must see movie called "Amelie".

I've seen that one too, the gnome shots are quite a hoot. Think the friend who perpetrated them is a stewardess, thus the worldwide locations. The film ends with the gnome reappearing in her father's garden.

In case anyone thought of it and wondered, the theives were operating an identity theft ring, were caught by pointing the camera at the victim's mailbox, through a hole in his fence. They kept coming back - in a car - and going through the mailboxes in the neighborhood.

Thoses that steal thee Gnomes will be watch by other Gnomes...

They will get caught eventually...Its just a matter of time they make a wrong move and be caught dead handed...

We have quite a few Garden Gnomes in Our Back yard but Its under a Lock and key..Also they would have to climb a six foot fence to get in and out of our Yard...

Plus My Boxer will make a lot of noises if he hears any thing sucspicious...So Be aware
GNOME THIEVES......
YOU ARE BEING WATCH BY LITTLE PEOPLE...

Thoses that steal thee Gnomes will be watch by other Gnomes...

They will get caught eventually...Its just a matter of time they make a wrong move and be caught dead handed...

We have quite a few Garden Gnomes in Our Back yard but Its under a Lock and key..Also they would have to climb a six foot fence to get in and out of our Yard...

Plus My Boxer will make a lot of noises if he hears any thing sucspicious...So Be aware
GNOME THIEVES......
YOU ARE BEING WATCH BY LITTLE PEOPLE...