Flowers easy pickings for local thieves
Online business is blooming for one Christchurch business, but a daytime theft from its roadside cart has the owner considering the future of the endeavour.
A Good Bunch owner Shannon, who did not want her last name published, decided to start selling affordable bouquets and plants from a cart on her driveway in St Albans at the start of the year.
The cart sells flowers from $10, and often sells out, but customers can also make purchases from her online business.
“I see little kids come up to the flower cart and they stand there counting out their coins, and I like to think they are getting flowers for their mum or something,” Shannon said.
“Flowers are a luxury item, and it is so nice to be able to provide some low-cost bunches to the community – $10 and you can make someone’s day.”
But two thefts in the first six months have left Shannon considering whether she should continue with the cart, which takes time and effort to keep going.
The first time flowers were stolen, they were snatched by two young men. On the cart’s security camera, it looked like a latenight act of stupidity.
But on August 1, a person walked on to her property during the day and took their time selecting items to steal.
The cart’s security camera caught the person stealing plants, flowers and a hand-painted ceramic vase.
“They didn’t do a snatch and grab, they took time considering what to steal. They looked at the camera several times and was not deterred,” Shannon said.
She delayed taking action, wanting to give the thief the benefit of the doubt, and waited a few days to see if they would pay online. However, no payment came through.
Shannon shared the video footage on the St Albans Community Facebook page, asking if anyone knew the culprit.
She considered formally reporting the latest incident, but said a police officer had advised her that not much could be done.
“I hope if someone got given the flowers, they deserved them and are enjoying them.”