THE PLANTS VANISHED.

Gayla Collinsworth likes gardening and working with her hands. She recently planted some petunias and Indian paintbrushes in large ceramic pots in the front and rear of her home. The additions cer-

The Victim: Gayla Collinsworth

The Crime: Theft

Date: Sunday, May 18

Time: At night

Location: 10200 block of Van Dyke tainly added to the aesthetics of her yard. Everything was in place that Wednesday.

The next day, Collinsworth noticed that a plant thief had pilfered her newly planted petunias.

“It was strange, and it was on two different nights,” she says of the crime.

Collinsworth remembered the crime because she had gone out to play some golf that day and went back to water her plants that evening. That first night, two petunias and an Indian paintbrush disappeared from her porch. A plant in the yard also was unearthed, but left upturned. She quickly went back to the store, however, and planted more.

The crime continued on Tuesday morn-

411

Number of marijuana plants found growing inside three rooms at 34-year-old Matthew Polan’s home ing, when Collinsworth noticed that a large ceramic planting pot had been stolen from her backyard — even with the gate locked and a large security light in the back. Someone also strangely took a white pot, but left a green pot behind.

“I have no idea,” she says of why someone would do this. “It’s very strange.”

Collinsworth believes it will cost about $200 to replace everything and is hoping the plant bandit leaves her home alone. The idea of someone being in her backyard at night, she says, also is disconcerting.

Dallas Police Sgt. Keitric Jones of the Northeast Patrol Division says the theft of plants and flower pots doesn’t happen often.

“Normally someone takes property that they can sell quickly. Anything of value needs to be secured or hard for any thief to take,” he says. “Also, become involved in your neighborhood watch group. A community of eyes and ears are safer than just two.”

Residents who see anything strange or out of the ordinary in their neighborhoods are encouraged to call the police to help prevent crimes like this.

| CRIME NUMBERS |

$2,500 Amount of cash also found, wrapped in rubber bands, when the police in June executed their search warrant

1,000 Feet separating the grow house and nearby Stults Road Elementary School

$50k

Bail that Polan will have to fork over for his release