This is the second stolen bonsai story I’ve seen. A few months ago someone on Jones Drive had a sign cursing whoever stole their bonsai… It must be tough losing a friend like that.
Things I have had stolen from my porch:
-hanging plants
-furniture (recovered, miraculously, from insane subletter around the block)
-antique male maniquein
-a lovely and charming cat (still mourning over that one)
My housemate noticed that a favorite potted plant was missing from our porch last week. She noticed the same plant prominently displayed on another porch on our street, about five house down, later that day. The plant in question has been safely relocated to our living room (it was getting too cold for it anyhow).
Houseplants? I will cop to urinating in some of neighbor’s once, but they were obnoxious and we had a running prank war. Stealing them? This town is weird. And I know that dogs are stolen pretty often, both for resale and for dog fighting, but I can’t imagine a similar market for cats.
Unfortunately, something else could have happened to the cat. There are predators, including stray dogs, and in some neighborhoods, there can be coyotes, believe it or not.
Actually, Peter, a coyote made its way onto campus last winter. He/she hung out by the physics building for a night. Next morning, UofM “pest control” (or some name like that) came to catch it. It ran off across S. University Ave, and through the B-school parking garage.
As a dutifully late-night working physics grad student, I was able to watch the whole ordeal. Thanks to a fresh half-inch of snow, I even tracked it for a while. I lost its tracks on Packard, though. The highlight of the event was asking the parking garage attendant, “Did you see a coyote come through here?”
There are coyotes here in Manchester. We occasionally hear packs of them yipping in the dark hours of the early morning. Then, sudden silence as they enjoy their unfortunate dinner.
Hello fellow Manchester resident! Er, well, I’m an ex-resident.
Here’s what I want to know: *Who the hell steals somebody’s bonsai?* That’d piss me off more than if they stole something i owned that had more monetary value. (Yeah, remember that, kids. Next time you break into my apartment, take my laptop, but don’t touch my Sago Palm.)
There are coyotes in the area. There used to be a pack living on the land owned by U of M out by Plymouth and Earhart Road. I haven’t been there in ages, but I used to see coyotes there regularly while walking my dog.
First off, nobody should be stealing anything from anybody, quite obvious. But for someone to steal a bonsai tree from its ower is a shame. Bonsai trees take alot of care and major connection is made between the care taker and the tree itself. Why don’t people understand that when you steal something of significant value to someone, its like tearing a piece of of them away from themselves. What a great society!
He got it back lready.
posted by JCP2 on October 23rd, 2005 at 6:22 pm eYeah, I would have posted a link to a later story, but none of them had that cool headline.
posted by ann arbor is overrated on October 23rd, 2005 at 6:23 pm eThis is the second stolen bonsai story I’ve seen. A few months ago someone on Jones Drive had a sign cursing whoever stole their bonsai… It must be tough losing a friend like that.
posted by FAA on October 23rd, 2005 at 7:24 pm eThings I have had stolen from my porch:
posted by OFWinsurgent on October 23rd, 2005 at 7:33 pm e-hanging plants
-furniture (recovered, miraculously, from insane subletter around the block)
-antique male maniquein
-a lovely and charming cat (still mourning over that one)
I still don’t realize why people steal pets. There’s lots of animals in shelters and such, they don’t need to take a pet that already has a safe home.
posted by Chris on October 23rd, 2005 at 7:39 pm eshe had a tag too, I was heartbroken. She was an incredibly friendly cat who would roll over upon the sidewalk for any passerby.
I searched high and low around the neighborhood (she was 10 and didn’t wander). This last summer.
posted by OFWinsurgent on October 23rd, 2005 at 8:42 pm eI bet the furniture was stolen by irate home owners who were worried about their housing values….:)
And what kind of monster would steal a pet? I mean sheesh. A plant I can understand, but a pet….
posted by Kozzie on October 23rd, 2005 at 11:22 pm eMy housemate noticed that a favorite potted plant was missing from our porch last week. She noticed the same plant prominently displayed on another porch on our street, about five house down, later that day. The plant in question has been safely relocated to our living room (it was getting too cold for it anyhow).
posted by Pam on October 23rd, 2005 at 11:31 pm eWho the Hell steals houseplants? That’s like shoplifting tea-scented toothpicks.
posted by A Different Jon on October 24th, 2005 at 3:12 am eHouseplants? I will cop to urinating in some of neighbor’s once, but they were obnoxious and we had a running prank war. Stealing them? This town is weird. And I know that dogs are stolen pretty often, both for resale and for dog fighting, but I can’t imagine a similar market for cats.
posted by js on October 24th, 2005 at 9:58 am eUnfortunately, something else could have happened to the cat. There are predators, including stray dogs, and in some neighborhoods, there can be coyotes, believe it or not.
posted by Michael McC. on October 24th, 2005 at 10:14 am eCorrection: you don’t steal houseplants. You kidnap it instead.
posted by __earth on October 24th, 2005 at 10:21 am ecoyotes?
not.
posted by peter honeyman on October 24th, 2005 at 11:56 am eActually, Peter, a coyote made its way onto campus last winter. He/she hung out by the physics building for a night. Next morning, UofM “pest control” (or some name like that) came to catch it. It ran off across S. University Ave, and through the B-school parking garage.
As a dutifully late-night working physics grad student, I was able to watch the whole ordeal. Thanks to a fresh half-inch of snow, I even tracked it for a while. I lost its tracks on Packard, though. The highlight of the event was asking the parking garage attendant, “Did you see a coyote come through here?”
posted by jason on October 24th, 2005 at 12:46 pm eI haven’t seen any coyotes in the vicinity of Kingsley & North Division lately. Nor packs of wild dogs.
posted by OFWinsurgent on October 24th, 2005 at 1:33 pm eThere are coyotes here in Manchester. We occasionally hear packs of them yipping in the dark hours of the early morning. Then, sudden silence as they enjoy their unfortunate dinner.
posted by anno on October 24th, 2005 at 2:30 pm ecolor me wrong.
and here i thought all that late night howling was just my posse.
posted by peter honeyman on October 24th, 2005 at 6:42 pm eCoyotes, definitely. Seen at Miller/Newport semi-regularly.
posted by stella on October 24th, 2005 at 7:44 pm eHello fellow Manchester resident! Er, well, I’m an ex-resident.
Here’s what I want to know: *Who the hell steals somebody’s bonsai?* That’d piss me off more than if they stole something i owned that had more monetary value. (Yeah, remember that, kids. Next time you break into my apartment, take my laptop, but don’t touch my Sago Palm.)
posted by eston on October 25th, 2005 at 2:04 am eOne of these days, one of those fuckers is going to steal Pat Morita’s bonsai tree, and that thief will be promptly handed his ass.
posted by Real Big on October 25th, 2005 at 4:23 am eThere are coyotes in the area. There used to be a pack living on the land owned by U of M out by Plymouth and Earhart Road. I haven’t been there in ages, but I used to see coyotes there regularly while walking my dog.
posted by Carolyn on October 25th, 2005 at 4:01 pm eWas it an ACME(TM) brand bonsai?
posted by LongGone on October 25th, 2005 at 5:42 pm eThe coyotes could be hatching yet another nefarious plot….
I own a small cactus. His name is Mortimer.
posted by Boston Fan in Michigan on October 26th, 2005 at 6:03 pm eFirst off, nobody should be stealing anything from anybody, quite obvious. But for someone to steal a bonsai tree from its ower is a shame. Bonsai trees take alot of care and major connection is made between the care taker and the tree itself. Why don’t people understand that when you steal something of significant value to someone, its like tearing a piece of of them away from themselves. What a great society!
posted by Okemos Resident on December 1st, 2007 at 11:43 am eI still don’t realize why people steal pets.
posted by Bonsai Lover on April 15th, 2008 at 8:20 pm eTo sell them to research labs, they take them to Indiana where it’s not regulated. Either that or they’re just sick. Capital crime.
posted by a2oldie on April 16th, 2008 at 10:29 am ethey are yummy!
posted by peter honeyman on April 16th, 2008 at 6:38 pm eCrikey! Everyone knows the appropriate way to steal plants is by seeds, not the plant itself. I ask you!
posted by Monica on April 17th, 2008 at 2:24 pm e