Flower Thief Preys on Local Garden

Larceny of Lilies

Keep a close eye on your plants. A flower thief has once again targeted the Newark Street Community Garden in Cleveland Park.

The four-acre site has been around since 1974. But the mystery suspect has snipped, torn and ripped flowers out of the group garden for several years now, never getting caught.

"There are 200 plots here. I'd say he probably hits 50 to 100 every year," said Linda Blount Barry. She owns one of the garden's plots and has had 160 of her peonies stolen from the garden just this year.

The floral crime scene is located just steps away from D.C.'s Second Police District, and members of the garden's association say it would be rosey for the flower thief to get caught.

"He's making a living, having a great time," said Blount Barry. But after all these years, does she think an arrest will ever happen? "I do. I have to believe that," she said.

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