The Garden of England is targeted by a bush bandit at 3am stealing plant pots in the middle of the night.
A “brazen” woman was caught on CCTV snooping around a front garden in the early hours during a series of robberies in Ashford, Kent.
She can be seen looking out the patio and entering through a gate at 3:30am before poking around in various plant pots. No arrests have been made so far.
Karon March, who had plants stolen, said her security system registered the “carefree” intruder, who was seemingly “fearless” by the garden light.
The video shows a woman approaching the garden with a torch.
Wearing a backpack, light top and blue pants, the footage shows her walking past the fence and entering through a garden gate.
The woman appears to make two attempts to grab a bush and put something in her pocket, before looking into another jar.
She can then be seen leaving the premises after the camera pans from side to side and the security light flashes.
‘That’s very strange’
“I’m angry. What gives her the right to do it?” said Mrs. March. “She’s just so carefree. When my security light comes on, she doesn’t freak out at all.”
Ms March explained that she left for work last Tuesday morning and noticed her garden gate was open.
When her husband reviewed the footage, he saw the woman prowling the yard for nearly three minutes, moving in and out of view as the camera’s lighting dimmed. They noticed that plants had been stolen.
She added: “It’s very strange, and she’s very sassy.”
‘I was completely furious’
Jan Samson, Mrs March’s neighbour, also claims that plants were stolen on two separate occasions, but it is unknown if the incidents are related.
She says a box of 12 flowers and then five fuchsia plants were taken from her garden.
Ms Samson, 79, said: “I couldn’t understand how people could be so stupid – I was absolutely furious.
“It’s such a silly thing to do — it’s bizarre, especially since they were all around 3:30 a.m., which is such a funny time in the morning.”
A police spokesman said: “We have received reports regarding the theft of flowers and plants from outside properties in Little Knoll, Ashford.
“Incidents are said to have occurred overnight at one address on Wednesday, May 10 and Monday, May 15, and at another address on Tuesday, May 23. The investigation is ongoing.’
