Help - Stolen Fruit Trees

[Susiebelle]

I have just had my third Apple Tree stolen, removed from my allotment complete with 6'6" stakes. The first was stolen in July 2010 then this weekend between 6.45pm on Saturday and 12 noon Sunday two more were stolen, all three trees are dwarf stock and will be fruiting this year.

Our site has always been considered as secure and in both cases there is no obvious evidence of fences/boundaries having been broken into.

This is heart breaking, as I do consider it is a personal grudge as I was very involved with the committee and as a site representative having had lots of problems I resigned 12 months ago. 
I have done nothing wrong and only responded to tenants concerns, I worked very hard on behalf of our site putting in a great deal of physical labour as well as lots of admin.

I still have two plum trees to plant but feel I am just asking for them to be stolen.

What can I do ?

[Susiebelle]

[Susiebelle]

Sorry typo should have said July 2011! ???

[cambourne7]

sound awful, have u reported it??

[Kleftiwallah]

I would have taken the hint after the first tree went 'walkabout'.  Have you done the circuit of other allotments to see where it may have 'come to rest'?

CXheers,     Tony.

[Kea]

I feel your pain. I didn't have a tree stolen but an obvious attack of glyphosate (killed the weeds around the tree as well) almost killed my damson, and caused a lot of damage last spring. My case like yours i have been involved on the committee and I believe winning a first for my damsons in the produce show was my problem. I did a walk around the site at the time and found 4 people had been using glyphosate at that time. Two I don't know and two are suspects....one a very strong suspect.

Do you have a photo of your trees? The problem is identifying them and proving they are yours. i have been trying to find a suitable cheap motion sensitive video camera, there are some but I'm not sure how good they are. You could try labelling the tree with some sort of code in permanent marker and photographing it (including showing the position of the code).

[Susiebelle]

Many thanks for every ones thoughts, yes I have reported to both Police and Committee, their advice was not to plant fruit trees!
I actually think they have been taken off site as our site is very small only 15 plots and it would be very easy to spot if some one tried to plant it on site, I know it would be more difficult to prove. So I think coding it would not work for me I wondered whether their was some permanent weather proof spray that would stay on peoples hands/clothes etc but not found anything yet.
Yes kea it is horrible and like you I have a very strong suspect but I am still reeling, I think the thief is winning all over again by me allowing him to take over my thoughts in this manner and I hope I will be able to put it behind me soon.
Thank you once again
Susan

[Amazingrotavator(Derby)]

www.flyonthewall.co.uk. Try this web site. Might be some good to you.

[Susiebelle]

Amazingrotavator - thanks for thought, but think I may be missing the point when trying the website ????

[Steve.]

If you do plant your other fruit trees, then maybe if you fit quite a few greasebands to them, at the very least the thief will get very sticky.

You could also rty applying some heavy duty sticky grease to your fence, or a bitumen product of some kind...something that will make a mess of both the thief and his/her clothing. Is barbed wire allowed at your site?

Whatever you decide to do, I wish you luck and hope it does not happen again.

Steve...:)

[Susiebelle]

Many thanks Steve, will try the grease bands and thoughts of barbed wire-which is allowed providing highly visual-  but trying not to get so obsessed by the 'thieving' that I end up giving myself a problem thinking of assess for weeding etc
but do have to take some action it's driving me mad............. >:( >:( >:( >:(

[willsy]

There are some bad minded b@stuwards around. Just jealous I think of you and what you grow. Dont let it get you down. Our site has been having trouble with break ins and wheelbarrow theft of late.