Chikugo-En nursery burglary.

[Ruddigger]

I visited and bought a tree in July. I called Gary ahead of time and gave him a general budget and size guidelines and he brought several candidates out on a cart for me to look at. I never actually stepped foot inside the nursery. If my experience is Chikugo-en's pandemic SOP and the thieves are targeting individual trees, then they've been in the bonsai community for a while

Yeah, theyre doing curbside stuff, not letting people in. But theyre well known for having quality trees, so they were a prime target. There are a couple other professionals in the area, I hope they escape this rash of theft.

 

[HorseloverFat]

I find that it’s growing worse everywhere... if you don’t agree.. you’re not looking hard enough.. or live in a gated or unincorporated community...

It’s bad... EVERYWHERE.

So terribly heartbreaking.

 

[penumbra]

You can't steal something as identifiable as these and not have a destination already in place. This doesn't make sense. There's a piece missing from the puzzle.

You could if you were stupid enough.

 

[HorseloverFat]

Agreed... even organized crime tends to fall on the “shorter-sighted” end of the spectrum...

Less-organized street thugs... way moreso.

 

[JudyB]

Everyone who can put some cash up to help stop this madness, here is the go fund me link again...

Donate to Help Catch the So California Bonsai thieves, organized by Robert Pressler

As many know there has been a rash of break-ins into Southern California … Robert Pressler needs your support for Help Catch the So California Bonsai thieves

www.gofundme.com

 

[Bonsai Nut]

You could if you were stupid enough.

Don't forget they caught the dude who stole the large bonsai from in front of the Orlando show a couple of years ago. Last day of the show when they were packing up, he pulled up in front of the hall with a minivan, walked up and picked up the tree, put it in the van, and drove away. With help of witnesses and security cameras, police went to the guy's home and found the tree. He knew nothing about bonsai and owned no other trees - it was a crime of opportunity for the $$$'s that he thought he was going to make, selling it to... someone.

And as far as Gary's twisted pomegranate goes, that tree has been around for a long time and has been displayed in exhibitions, and was in the center of their "not for sale" bench at the front of the nursery. I haven't been to his nursery in perhaps four years and I still recall it. It was definitely not a low profile tree.