_e_ Posted April 23, 2005 i write this with an emmense pain in my heart.. not to mention the tears i have been fighting back for the past 30mins... I feel i have to share this as everyone who is a collector, and everyone in the ethnobotany community can surely sympathise with this situation. I have been collecting cacti for three years, and last night sometime someone entered my premesis and stole my prize and joy cacti. One 1.5m 4-6inch blue beast, (this is an unidentified strain that has extremely fat and robust arms, with intense blueing and short spines), Three other blue beasts all ranging in size from 30cm-1m, all with 4-6inch diameter 1- 5yr ol L.williamsi, 1- 5yr old L.williamsi var caespitosa (that had just started to pup at 4 different points, and one T.peruvianus cross T.pachanoi...... This is just the start of it, there are another 3 missing, 2 T.bridgesii var monstrose, 1 un identified ariocarpus, and i havent had the guts to actually go through and see what else is missing. I am fucken heartbroken! I have never stolen, nor would i ever steal, from anyone!!! This may seem like a bold statement, but it is the truth.... i do not believe in stealing..... These cacti have no monetry worth for me, im sure if i sat down and worked it out it would be in excess of $200...But for me it is a lot more then that... They were positioned around the back of my house, under a verandah (i had moved them in as it had been raining). These were my babies, my prize pieces... They were not visible from anywhere other then my back door. And the only peopel who knew they were there were people whom i had invited into my house... There are only three people from this community who have ever been to my house, of them, one may be questionable... but obviously this is not the place nor the manner to do such questioning... i will take this matter up face to face if possible... What do i do? call the cops? stop collecting? Get in a fight with somene over it? never invite people to my house? These specimens were extremely individual and easily recognisable. If anyone hears of somene procuring a new collection in the hunter valley, newcastle or central coast region please tell me.. I have invited somene into my home, and they have done this to me and for that i will not forgive them.. i feel like absolute shit, and i really do hate mankind right now! -EDIT: if the person responsible is in any way in communication with this forum- PLEASE DO NOT EAT THE BABIES U MAY BE EXTREMELY POISENED IF U DO AS THEY HAVE BEEN TREATED WITH ROGOR REPEATEDLY FOR THE PAST MONTH!!! [ 23. April 2005, 06:42: Message edited by: min(E)rval ] Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
apothecary Posted April 23, 2005 *sigh* More and more it's seeming people in this community have to take the same approach as on overgrow, and to not share their collections with anyone except via the appropriate forum. That really pains me, and it sows an attitude of distrust among the community. If one of the three people who E is talking about reads this, please return the cacti. I'm sorry for your loss E, and I'm sorry that there may be people in this community that feel they can behave like this. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Darklight Posted April 23, 2005 I'm very sorry to hear of this cob, thieves are the absolute lowest life form Do you have any pics you could post here which might help ppl identify them, pics which show definitive markings maybe? the only peopel who knew they were there were people whom i had invited into my house... Yep that's how it usually happens. And you're right, if you start trying to sort out who is was without proof you'll go nuts and suspect everyone. There's not much you can do to prevent this sort of thing, aside from the suggestions you've made... stop collecting, stop inviting ppl round etc. and none of them are palatable. There seems to be a bit of a spate of cactus thefts going on atm, is this just random statistical clumping? Seems I've heard several ppl here mentioning missing cactus lately Personally I recommend the big fuck-off dog approach to garden security, providing you don't mind losing plants due to the puppy garden-bed-terrorist phase of training. There's always some idiot out there who thinks that not having cactus as good as yours means they're much worse off than you and deserve to slake their envy making you miserable. If they eat these I hope they have the worst and most interminable trip they never come back from Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Amulte Posted April 23, 2005 That is a bitch. but as we said man, Karma will make their nuts fall off. i think ya should go out and do a full stocktake man. and prolly call the cops since theres nothing illegal. Also dude check the neigbourhood watch! if someone was a sus car or person/ppl about then itll be in there. ive had shit taken and it aint good if its your pride. Much luck man, give me a call if i can help dude EDIT- Im Praying they dont get eaten! Loph is sacred!!! karma should return them safe but GRrrr [ 23. April 2005, 04:56: Message edited by: Amulte ] Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Benzito Posted April 23, 2005 I hate this all too painful, and common, pitfall of our hobby. I am currently moving in with 2 housemates, and it is starting to make me really paranoid. I explain that I want all my stuff kept private, and I assume it will happen. But I get the odd comment from my new housemate like "Gee, my friend at work said he would really like to try (insert plant name here) if you ever decide to give it a go" and I shudder. i can picture having the exact same thing happen to me in the not too distant future. Hey, at least they aren't illegal plants, and you can go to the police. But if they don't do anything when your car is stolen, do you think they would care about a cactus? My heart goes out to you E, especially for that feeling of having your privacy invaded. I hope the thief's conscience gets the best of them, or at the very least I hope they don't de-spine the cactus before they eat it. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
_e_ Posted April 23, 2005 i think the most heartbreaking thing about this is that it is obviously someone i know and trust..They have only taken the 'prize' specimens, i.e those of most worth, no disease, mast sacred and significant... I just cant believe ive had someone of such merit in my house!! Add to that list of stolen cacti 2 T.bridgesii var monstrose... I really hope karma sorts this shit out. Does this mean i have to have my entire collection under lock and key from now on??? obviously large noisy gates arent enough... fuck this sux. peace to all (except scum bags...) ***E*** Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
2b Posted April 23, 2005 Cactus must be a dificult plant to steal , i mean most have spines and would be dificult to ' smash & grab ' as could be done with a MJ plant. Possibly you would need a car ? Ask your neighbours if they noticed one ? I think you've valued your plant a bit cheaply , a fifteen y/o loph would retail for much more than 250 (IMO) Urban tribes auctioned an old one that made over 500 just recently , the reason i bring this up is that my insurance covers the plants in the garden from theft , theoreticaly if your covered you could go out and by replacements ? I realise that this is small comfort to the ones you had loved and nutured over the past years but it could get you back on track ? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Amulte Posted April 23, 2005 its a drag and you shouldnt have to but maybe some string lines with bells attached. either tip wires or bells and string tied to the cacti or pot so theres a ring if one touches it. its a drag that you cant be as trusting but having em tied down might help. EDIT - Go for a walk around the neigbourhood, look about the yards [ 23. April 2005, 05:31: Message edited by: Amulte ] Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gerbil Posted April 23, 2005 Sorry to hear the bad news E, what #$@!ing lowlives! What is it with people and knocking off plants from private collections, makes you wonder how many times these pricks were dropped when they were little. Dogs are a very good option, mine is a labrador that's more likely to lick people to death but it even scares the hell out of me when something comes near the yard at night. I hope you get them back even if it's just a small stump to keep the genetics. F#@$ how could you steal someones loph?!?! :mad: Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Darklight Posted April 23, 2005 Benzito:Hey, at least they aren't illegal plants, and you can go to the police. Personally I wouldn't bother, but that's a personal issue I know. It's good to be an anonymous face and not known to the local constabulary, good or bad.And let's face it, what can they do? They're not botanically trained so the chances of them spotting your cactus in the next haul of dodgy fucken thief shit is extremely minimal. Post pics to help ID where you can, here and if you have any nurseries locally, specially cactus nurseries or collectors societies. Who knows, maybe you're not the only one, and maybe if you all put your heads together you can work out who did it? Yes you need to have beter security with your garden- not just to keep people out, but to make sure you don't get insecure about having ppl around and wondering what they're doing or thinking when they're at your place. If its relatively secure that's a weight off your mind at least, one less thing to think about I explain that I want all my stuff kept private, and I assume it will happen. Take no prisoners on this from the start, be Perfectly Reasonable Flatmate until that boundary is breached, then become Total Psycho Flatmate. Most people are idiots and don't take you seriously no matter how polite you are- until you whack them around the head a few times when they fuckup. It's not like its an unreasonable request... why compromise on it? But I get the odd comment from my new housemate like "Gee, my friend at work said he would really like to try (insert plant name here) if you ever decide to give it a go" and I shudder. Shudder is right... I mean if you've known them for years that's one thing, but to raise something so soon after having met.... what other conversational joys will they have in store for you? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Benzito Posted April 23, 2005 It's even more worrying when (insert plant name here) = an illegal plant. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
_e_ Posted April 23, 2005 yeah no insurance here... im just a student with no income... the lophs were 5 years old not 15....but the pedros were all huge and chunky... its more the fact that i cared and nurtured for these thigns, and anyone knowing me who has been at my house knows i am a generous and trusting person... this sux.. REWARD NOW AVAILABLE of ($300 value, even more value to ethnobots)!!!!(for anyone who has any information regarding where who or what) And no i havent been to the police, this would be pointless and karma is my own personal favourite method of retribution... [ 23. April 2005, 05:44: Message edited by: min(E)rval ] Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
apothecary Posted April 23, 2005 Total psycho flatmate eh? "Dude ...I just coated these nice long T. peruvianus spine trimmings with a thick layer of Datura extract! Wanna lick?" Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
_e_ Posted April 23, 2005 i wish i had photos to show people but i dont...These babies were big and bewdifull, the blueing and thickness of the pedros would be enough to make any cacti nut cream their jeans...but alas i can not afford a digital camera.. just for those in the know, this was doen by 2 people, who had a car.... the size of the specimens meant that they had to be pulled out of the pots in order to carry them, and even then ther would have needed to be 2 people to carry the amount that was taken. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Darklight Posted April 23, 2005 min(E)rval: just for those in the know, this was doen by 2 people, who had a car.... Does this mean you're closer to finding out who took your plants?BTW it doesn't need to be people who've actually been to your house before, it just takes someone who is enthusiastic and friendly to be in the wrong company saying " Shit I saw the most beautiful cactus collection the other day "- its amazing how many people you don't know can find you if they want, or drop enough hints to get a location from someone unwittingly. Some days I hate people, I'd better get back to work cos I'm giving myself a headache being cross about it all Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
_e_ Posted April 23, 2005 hey thanx for the support guys, it is evident from the communications ove had with people that 99% of the ethno community rock....its just the 1% that drags us down I hypothesize that it was 2 people with a car because: Due to the size and nature of the specimens taken, they were ripped from the pots (leaving 3/4 their rootball behind) as they were way too big and heavy to carry. This means that there was only one trip on and off the premesis in which they took as much as they could carry... If there were two trips they would have taken the lot, and tried to take the pots... There was way too many specimens taken for one person to carry... the biggest one would have been an effort on its own. There is no way all these babies were taken away on foot.. Anyhow, for now i hope that the specimens themselves are ok... i can tell they have been hurt as most of them no longer have a root ball (its in my pots), and that the person who took them did not have intent to eat them.. If they were taken to be eaten then im sure that the karma of this act will be more then enough to deterr these people from ever stealing again... I will now keep my collection inside under lights. Whilst this is not ideal, i feel that it is the only way ic an progress. Once someone has violated you thismuch, whats stopping them doing it again and worse? peace to all ***E*** And thanks to all who have shown support... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
apothecary Posted April 23, 2005 Once again I sigh, because despite everything it almost makes me want to take my cacti inside too. And this feeling of mistrust really has no place amongst this community. Grr. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
marsha Posted April 23, 2005 the junky steals the shaman heals, many may underestimate the spiritual wonders of these plants with scientific analysis and neurological blah blah it is the westen way.they arent for the alternative drug user to merely get high (my opinion) and the mentioned theif is in for a world of trubble for venturing into the realm of the plant with ill motive do the right thing theif rteurn the plants and ask forgiveness this will be far more rewarding than staring at these stolen fruits or reaping the "reward" of consumption best of luck do the right thing. sad news minerval Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jack Posted April 23, 2005 Sorry to for your loss, if you pm your address i will send u a pachanoi and caespitosa. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
incognito Posted April 23, 2005 theres no way that u could keep them at ur parents place until u suss out ur new flatmates??? :cool: Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
_e_ Posted April 23, 2005 thanx jack, but i cant accept.. id like to replace what has been taken, but at this stage i think i need to make a pro-active step to replacing them by offerring trades... if people feel they would like to help then offerr me a trade, but i cant let this become a charity situation.. its extremely nice and encouraging that people liek yourself and hebrew have offered some specimens free of charge... ITs what makes this community so special.. but right now i think i need to focus on positivity.. and positivity means making my collection bigger and better then ever-through through my own means... My girlfriend has just returned home from work and is in tears at the news.. I got her into ethnobotany and cacti when we were in melbourne, thats where i sourced these cacti from... When we were there we met an amaizing cacti head with an impressive collection (check the gallery)..That is where we obtained the lophs, the only ones in my immediate collection... Then there was the harvest, witnessed by anyone who was following the triptamind thread over at ea.net.. All of the grow tips that we sourced during this harvest are currently in other peoples possession, the few specimens we chose to keep were stolen in this raid...The worst thing is that the one and only cacti that my girlfriend has ever attatched herself to, the one and only specimen she said 'was hers' has been stolen. It was so rewardign for me to see her grow into ethnobotany, so rewarding for me to see her start to understand and respect these plants, even more rewarding when she decided that she wanted to have plants of her own in the collection..now the blue beast that she had chosen from the motherplant is gone. This might be a load of tempremental nostalgic bs for some.. but u can read a lot into this case study.. cheers for your support people, ***E*** [ 23. April 2005, 08:07: Message edited by: min(E)rval ] Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bloodbob Posted April 23, 2005 Theres been that many stolen cactii that maybe people should start putting poinous ones out in their front garden? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
planthelper Posted April 23, 2005 min(E)rval, i think that you know who it was. maybe it takes you a while to put 2 and 2 together, but i am sure you will come to the right conclusion. go hard on them. we had discussions about that before and concluded that ther are two types of thives, the first takes only a pup or part of a cacti or plant. the second group steals everything and gee what moral scum they must be, i am disgusted to share the planet with them. "trustees" are something special and very hard to find, but if you have some trusted friends it's an incredible thing, money or drugs or whatever can be displayed without one ever having to worry about anything. i assume the stolen goods are located at a friends place of the thief. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
_e_ Posted April 23, 2005 me and my friends have gotten together and are racking our brains tonight..at present i cannot think of anyone in direct contact with me and my household who culd have done this..we are very trusting, open and generous people. that said we have only been living here for 2 months, and had made an open decision when we didi to make sure it was a positive growing and nurturing environ.. whilstour energyhasnt been 100% due to lots of other stuff, id still say we havent associated with. nor shared any energy with, people whom are 'suss' or 'dodgy'. This may just be a 'friend of a friend', however i will make sure i keep my eyes and mind open to any other scenario. Id say the reward should encourage anyone, who didint feel motivated beforehand (i.e they are not direct friends, just people who know about the situation) to come forward... Obviously these people arent trustworthy, and if this is the case, they will have big mouths and friends who have even bigger mouths thanx anywho, if i do know who it was then it will be painfull.. but i will accept it. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hebrew Posted April 23, 2005 E as i said over at EBA i am sorry to hear this and would like to send some of those grow tips to you as you were generous in giving them to me, there is plenty to go around fuck i would hate for this to happen to me and it really does sadden me that people can be so selfish, i mean cacti arent that hard to come by they are quite cheap to purchase. one thing that does concern me is when doing trades with people that you dont really know is that they have your address, it seems that we need to be smart about our own security and have stratagies in place to ensure that our security is upheld, like dogs and PO Boxes etc. but it can be hard when it is your friends that are the one that you cant trust :confused: 2B - that is a great idea about insuring the plants i have not thought of that one once again i am sad to hear this and if i can help in anyway i will take care Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
