“I think most people would agree that stealing from a cemetery is a particularly low thing to do.”
That is the blunt assessment from Thames-Coromandel District Council Mayor Peter Revell after a wave of plant thefts targeted public green spaces and burial grounds across the district, leaving local ratepayers facing thousands of dollars in clean-up and replacement bills.
Cemeteries and Coastal Reserves Targeted
The brazen theft spree has stretched across more than 100 kilometres of the Thames-Coromandel region. According to details shared across local reports, thieves systematically dug up and stripped vegetation from multiple locations, including the Omahu cemetery and Ōpito Bay.
At Omahu cemetery, perpetrators targeted titoki trees, ornamental pears, and native grasses, leaving behind a ruined landscape and a significant repair bill for the council. Meanwhile, two kōwhai trees were uprooted from Ōpito Bay. Because of tight municipal budget constraints, the council cannot guarantee immediate replacements for the stolen coastal flora, turning a landscaping loss into a permanent scar on the local environment.
“Here’s an example where we’re having to spend unnecessarily,” Revell told local reporters, emphasizing that even if officials choose not to purchase new shrubs right away, expensive remediation work remains unavoidable. “Apart from that, I think it’s just destroying something beautiful.”
Good Intentions Met With Repeated Theft
After initial losses left bare patches in public spaces, a sympathetic member of the public donated replacement trees to heal the landscape. Within a short window, those donated plants were targeted and stolen as well.
“Some kind person donated replacement trees, then thieves came and took those as well. It leaves a really sour taste in the mouth,” Revell noted, describing the sentiment of a frustrated community.
Local authorities believe the scale and geographical spread of the operation point away from a lone opportunistic thief. Given the distance between the coastal bays and inland cemeteries, council officials suspect more than one person is behind the coordinated digging and removal of established plants.
Community Vigilance Ahead of Tourist Influx
While officials stress that the thefts do not yet constitute a widespread epidemic, they are determined to prevent any escalation that could ruin the region’s aesthetic appeal just as visitors arrive. In response, the council has announced that every instance of plant theft will be notified to the police.
To prevent confusion and ensure public safety, all council staff and legitimate contractors performing maintenance or planting work across the district will carry official identification and operate exclusively in marked vehicles. Residents have been urged to stay vigilant and immediately report any suspicious digging or plant removal to local authorities.
“My message to the public is please be alert and if you see that sort of behaviour going on, please give the police a call and let them know,” Revell said.
