Park flowerbeds theft 'beyond words' (From Enfield Independent)

Durants Park flowerbeds theft 'beyond words'

9:39am Friday 29th June 2012 in News By David Hardiman, Reporter

The chairman of a park users’ group has condemned thieves who ripped up nearly 300 plants and ruined flowerbeds.

Brian Dawson, chairman of the Friends of Durants Park, said the raid on the park off Hertford Road earlier this week which saw plants including 30 rose bushes, geraniums, marguerites and cannas being stolen was “beyond words”.

Enfield Council officers believe it would have required a van and took an hour to carry out the theft, which was first noticed by gardeners when they started work on Monday morning.

And the council has already warned it does not have enough money to replace the plants again after a similar theft last year.

Mr Dawson said: “We talked about it when it happened last year and wondered why they were stealing them – it’s just too many to plant in a garden, they must be taking them to sell them on.

“It’s absolutely ridiculous, and we’ve already had to make a couple of flowerbeds redundant because the planting budget was dramatically cut by the council.

“[Gardener] Darren and his team spend so much time on that park and really put the effort in – when something like this happens it’s beyond words really.”

The total worth of the 270 plants is estimated at just £460.

Anyone with information is being urged to contact either Enfield Council or the police.