ferret Posted October 9, 2009 wtf indeed.. really sucks to hear about this man. id be so cut if even one of my much loved plants got flogged, to have such a chunk of your collection go like that must be fucken heart breaking. now i know it don't help but i remember in my couple of visits to the CSS meetings another member telling me of theft of his rare mexicans. i feel ya , cant really run around confronting everyone who knows where you live. im gonna go ahead and be one of them wise guys and ill be keepin my eyes out for some plants your into to replenish the greenhouse bro. theres some real dog fuckers out there. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
arnold500 Posted October 9, 2009 can't add much to what's already been said, but heart felt commiseration from the other side of the world. A500 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mr b.caapi Posted October 9, 2009 That is so Fucked man, May Karma strike the fucker(s) down hard...... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PD. Posted October 9, 2009 theres some real dog fuckers out there. Indeed! Terrible news kanje, not much to say that hasnt already in this thread other than keep an eye on ebay and oztion! Ya never know. Ppl that steal valuable things generally do it for a quick dollar reward of some sort and in this instance it is hard to imagine someone with a keen interest or collector of such plants would steal from another collector, plausible yes, but unlikely i think. I would think it to be someone that can offload them quickly to an unknowing collector or flog them on an auction site or market even. I would make it known at the next cssa meeting exactly what happened and what was stolen, photos if ya got them would help enormously here, id also let all my friends know, you may uncover some reliable info in the process. very sorry to hear indeed man! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dandy Posted October 9, 2009 That sucks mate, its always someone you know though...people arnt always as nice as they seem, make sure to think who drops out of contact or wont answer their phone. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Chiral Posted October 9, 2009 When we were out at Hamiltons cactus nursery one day, the lady out there told us many horror stories of thievery amongst cactus club members...she said it was so prevalent amongst members that outright fights and violence would ensue..sometimes people that had there precious plants nicked found out who did it and went straight into their yard and took them all back...trashing their greenhouses and all sorts. Who would think that cactus club members would be so narky and malevolent...weird as if you ask me....she also told me that people at cactus shows would hover and wait for just the right moment when an owner wasn't looking and rip chunks of lophs off and stuff em in their pockets...sometimes working in teams..one to distract the grower/owner and the other with the quick hands. it's a freakin crazy ass world when people steal plants from one another for a few dollars...we are a very very strange species of animals us humans..very strange indeed. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
WoodDragon Posted October 9, 2009 Two simple things that really discourage thieves are sensor lights and alarms. I had a friend who, after a visit from thieves, alarmed his aviaries which held exie natives. A few weeks later the buggers, coming back for more birds, high-tailed away at the speed of light at the first clang. Sweet... My kid's mum has a Clydie on her property, and the perimeter is electrified to keep him from leaning on the fencing. We've had low-lifes in the past trying to hop in after dark, for whatever grubby reason they had, and hearing them get caught between the wire and the fence was hugely satisfying. With a bit of clever wiring, an electrified greenhouse could be inpenetrable without remotely turning off the power. Mwah ha ha HAAA!!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Garbage Posted October 9, 2009 Put a sign up outside the pub with a reward for information leading to a conviction. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
~shameless~ Posted October 9, 2009 Thats fucked man!!, i dont know how id cope with someone stealing my stuff, you seem to b handling it alright though. Keep smiling dude -Now here is my bitch about thieving pricks- The thing that shits me about thieves, who steal something that realtes to your hobbies or something you do with your spare time, is its something that you probably would have shared a bit with some one if they actually offered to show some interest , or even ask you about your stuff , you probably would have given em something any way. I must say soceities and clubs can be magnets for dishonest people sometimes, i dont know anything about cactus clubs, but if they are anything like Sporting motorcycle clubs, there are thives amongst cactus clubs too. Hey! wouldnt it be funny if some of your stuff popped up sometime soon at another club meeting somewhere near by????? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Legba Posted October 9, 2009 Karma will deal with the thief without our involvement. lets all send kanJe a cactus to make up for this loss. pm me ur addy kanJe. Good karma. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ace Posted October 9, 2009 Damn man, really sorry to hear about this As hard as it may be, I guess it's probably easiest to try and move forward as much as possible, but it's gotta be heartbreaking... Good karma to you for being so calm about it, and seriously bad karma to the dirty prick who left your collection in pieces. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Chiral Posted October 9, 2009 Yeah man...PM us your address so when the time comes I can pack you a nice box of plants and seeds to get you going again. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sharxx101 Posted October 10, 2009 Fuck man I really feel for you. Getting a dog is good advice as another member said. A pricelesss collection gone so quickly and takes so long to obtain. I hope the person/s gets what they deserve and karma isnt kind to them. Also good to get a po box aswell. I hope they get returned to you bud! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
KanJe Posted October 10, 2009 (edited) Again, thanks everyone for your sympathy. It really means a lot for people to understand my pain with this. I told some people at work and they reacted in a kind of shock with a tone of confusion. I've been doing my own head in trying to think who it might be. I'm leaning away from the idea that someone took them with the intention of cooking them. They took a 40 yr old Astrophytum ornatum hybrid, Eriosyce, various Copiapoas. None of these are active. They also left all my Trichos too? Thought that would have been the obvious choice. Seems they made their choices based on value. No point wasting my energy thinking about it, only bad things will come from it. In terms of security a dog is out of the question as my backyard is too small. I put a padlock on my green house for now but the walls are made of shade clothe so it wouldn't do much good. I'm going to put a lock on my gate tomorrow. The best think of atm the moment is electrified barb wire. It might be hard with the cat, but there's only one way she's gonna learn. lol I'm only going to come out of this with better tools for dealing with paranoia. Or I'll just move house. Thanks again. Edited October 10, 2009 by KanJe Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Chiral Posted October 11, 2009 Move house...fuck that...then these scum win two times.....no way man...don't let scum force you into feeling scared or insecure....I have a feeling you will find out who did it sooner or later...my money is on a cactus club member or someone who knows a lot about those sorts of plants and their dollar value....I can't stress this enough..."DONT GIVE UP"...we as a team will hunt them down and when you least expect it someone will see the plants or hear someone bragging about em or something...criminals are stupid and can't help talking about their pathetic escapades.... I'll have a word to the monkey elders and see what they say...they will know what to do. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
naja naja Posted October 11, 2009 keep an eye out on ebay then. and maybe contact ur local cactus sosiety and inform them incase a member rocks up to the next meet with lots of nice cacti. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
alkatrope Posted October 11, 2009 So sorry to hear man, very fucked up Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mescalito Posted October 11, 2009 (edited) Fuckers!!! Chances are it was well planned and as said before,someone you know. I think I would put ads up at the supermarket etc. As for security staffys are great,and foxys bark at intruders.You could also look at(considering the collection you had)security measures like sensor lights...I remember seeing a cheap wireless motion activated cam with night mode and sound from Aldi....you could check out E-bay maybe. Really sorry for your losses man. mesc.... Edit:just a thought....for us collectors could we do the equivalent to micro-chipping with a dye signature that shows up under UV?..surely this could be done...these story's make me feel ill. Edited October 11, 2009 by mescalito Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ace Posted October 11, 2009 I've been doing my own head in trying to think who it might be. Definately sounds like a collector who was after rarities rather than trips. I would word up all those at the cactus club (perhaps with a bulk email, a forum notice, etc) that a substantial amount of highly treasured cacti have been stolen. It is more likely that the dodgy bugger/s will feel guilty as shit about it and might increase your chances of having them left on your doorstep one night. At least worth a shot. Perhaps just make it clear that you are after their safe return rather than getting even - at least that way they would be more inclined to come clean (if they have any conscience at all), even if it is anonymously. And next time people have a gathering or whatnot, there will be a lot more eyes looking for a dirty prick with a collection that rapidly increased. People will happily squeal on a theif, especially when they know how loved they were. Fuck I feel for ya Kanj Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tripsis Posted October 11, 2009 I definitely think the idea of an alarm system around your greenhouse is a good one. A electric fince too, but an alarm system will alert the entire neighbourhood if something untoward were to happen. That is fucked to hear about the 40 year old plants being taken. It is so hard to fathom how people how steal things like this, when clearly they would be collectors themselves, well aware of how energy and passion goes into a hobby like this...unless they have stolen them just to sell it all immediately. People do some fucked up things for money. Man I am sorry to hear about this and disturbed that this sort of thing happens. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
naja naja Posted October 11, 2009 Also, post as many good photo's as u can of the stolen cacti. Most cacti have individual characteristics like a fingerprint, so if u have enough photo's. Sum1 might just recognize one and it could lead u back to the theif. Peace Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
watertrade Posted October 11, 2009 if it was a collector why would they bother with the selenicereus and hylocereus? my guess would be someone who knows a little bit about cacti but not a serious collector. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
The Jamanoid Posted October 11, 2009 if it was a collector why would they bother with the selenicereus and hylocereus? I think they have the wrong definition of "collecting". What can I say...I sympathise...straight up that's just fucked. I assume from some of the items you mentioned a fair bit of time has gone into your collection too...one would hope these people suffer a traffic accident in which they're left burning before they die. This kind of scum really gets my goat. Best of luck for a trouble free re-start, eh? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Garbage Posted October 11, 2009 All the more reason to seek out and use toxic systemic insecticides. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mac Posted October 11, 2009 (edited) A 12V electric fence (greenhouse) would be farkin fun, hook up a decent ignition coil & capacitor from a older style car & it would bite pretty bloody hard A cheap battery powered magnetic censor alarm setup would be good, but a movement censor type could be set off by pets or birds strong winds in a outdoor greenhouse As someone mentioned if you only have a small yard for a dog a small aussie , silky any terrier can be just as good as a big nasty guard dog, they only have to bark to deter other 2 legged mongrels Edited October 11, 2009 by mac Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
