Park garden ruined by plant raid (From Enfield Independent)

Durants Park garden ruined by plant raid in Enfield Highway

2:11pm Thursday 28th June 2012 in News By David Hardiman, Reporter

Thieves have destroyed the flowerbeds of an Enfield Highway park by stealing nearly 300 plants.

Enfield Council officers believe it would have taken an hour to carry out the raid in Durants Park, off Hertford Road, with 30 rose bushes, geraniums, marguerites and cannas among the plants ripped up.

The theft was first noticed by gardeners when they started work at the park on Monday morning.

And Councillor Chris Bond, cabinet member for environment, has already warned the council do not have enough cash to replace the greenery, which was worth £460.

He said: “These criminals who stole the flowers should buy them from the borough's shops and help the local economy rather than steal from the public purse.

“We are the greenest borough in London and have many beautiful parks which we work very hard to maintain, but we simply cannot afford to keep replacing plants which are being stolen by low-lifes and as a result everyone suffers.”