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Respected Contributor
Posts: 2,764
Registered: ‎03-11-2010

@rms1954 wrote:

We have a small garden with a retaining wall in our front yard.  My husband built the wall so I could have a garden.  Each year I would add a couple more flowers.  We have (had) five small crackle globe lights lining the garden.  On Monday night someone took one of the lights.  OK - no big deal.  I thought it was probably a teen walking by and took it for fun.  This morning I look and there, where I had a garden snail figure, was gone.  It had been in the front of my Dad's home.  When he passed a couple years ago, I took it to come live with me.  I thought of him everytime I looked at it.  His home is gone now -- torn down by the decision of my sister, along with all his things.

 

I am so sad.  I'll get over it but for now I am just plain sad.  PLEASE don't say "you'll always have his memory" or "it was just a material thing."  It represented all the times we used to sit on his front porch and laugh about how he would move it from spot to spot.  I just so enjoyed having it. 

 

This year we put in five small bushes as foundation and I purchased a small bunny and a really pretty fairy.  Now I have to take them inside or risk those being taken.  Big sigh. 


@rms1954 , I’m sorry your snail was taken. Sometimes there’s just no explanation for human behavior. 😢

 

We had a large nativity display that dh used to put up at the bottom of our front yard each Christmas. He built a wooden crèche, put straw in it and set the large plastic figures into it. He ran an underground wire all the way from the house to a receptacle down near our road and had a switch installed in our hallway so the figures could be illuminated at night. One year our Baby Jesus was stolen. After that dh lost interest in the display and sold it.

 

A few years after that at Christmas time someone tossed the missing Baby Jesus onto the bottom of our long driveway. It was obvious we no longer had the figures. Like I said, sometimes there’s just no logical explanation for human behavior.

 

i hope the person who took your snail has second thoughts and returns it. 

Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 5,040
Registered: ‎09-12-2010

I'm so sorry this happening, but it sounds like you need to take the offensive. I'd file a police report just so they have it on file. I'd also get a few flood lights pointed to your garden and electronic video (like Ring or others). This is your home and your garden, and no one (whether adult or young) has the right to invade it and ruin it for you. If you or your DH can't install something yourselves, hire a handyman to do it for you, or someone who your neighbors suggest. Best of luck to you.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 23,835
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

@rms1954   The world is  just full of mean, selfish,  inconsiderate horrible people. It is just the way it is....  I am sorry you feel sad😢

Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 6,120
Registered: ‎03-29-2019

I understand your hurt feelings and disappointment over having had your snail taken.

 

 

 

My dad use to go abalone diving back when he was in his 20's and 30's, and we had one shell that we would place by the front door for decoration, at all the homes that we lived at.

 

 

I had it sitting outside in front of the door of where I'm living now, the home that I shared with my dad, before he had to be moved to a nursing home, before he died.

 

Because of this very thread, I went outside to see if it was still there.

 

 

Nope. It's gone.

 

 

I looked all around where it was, but couldn't find it.

 

 

 

I know that it was "just a shell", but the memories attached to it, made it special to me.

 

 

 

Dad would have been philosophical about it.

 

 

 

He would have said that if it was meant to be out in the universe, then it was meant to be out in the universe.

 

It just hurts knowing that when we moved here, Dad was happy that I brought the shell with us. Dad died this year, and now the shell is gone, too.

 

 

Yes, I could get another shell, but it wouldn't be the same.

 

 

 

I guess I could look at it as he like that shell so much, that it is now with him in Heaven.

 

 

But it's hard.

 

 

The interesting thing is, I have a windchime hanging outside, and that wasn't taken.

The Sky looks different when you have someone you love up there.
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Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 7,170
Registered: ‎03-11-2010

Camera would help and perhaps you could check around and see if anyone saw something or heard someone talk about it. 

Honored Contributor
Posts: 32,483
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

Re: I Just Don't Understand

[ Edited ]

@chiclets wrote:

This may seem like a foolish suggestion but I will suggest it anyway.

 

It seems some individual is taking things from your garden and is returning. Maybe you could post a sign in your garden asking them to please consider returning the snail.  Nothing else matters but the snail is the memory you have from your father and you would appreciate it if they would consider bringing it back.

 

Just something like that. Sometimes it does work and things are returned. Leave the sign up for awhile. You have nothing to loose.

 

Sorry for the loss of your precious keepsake.


@rms1954   How about a sign saying :  To the snail thief:  Our security cameras have captured an excellent image of you and we and the police know your identity.

 

We have asked the police to hold off arresting you in the hope that you would return the snail--which is very precious to us beyond its value in dollars.  IF YOU RETURN THE SNAIL, we will not press charges and the police will not arrest you.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 8,738
Registered: ‎06-06-2019

@Sooner I like that idea!

Honored Contributor
Posts: 8,738
Registered: ‎06-06-2019

I might go sit in my car tonight and watch.  Our driveway is right next to the front lawn.  I want to face this person so I can ask for my property back.  My husband said no.  He ordered a security camera from Amazon and it's coming Friday,  I spoke to the police and of course there wasn't much they could do.  I asked if there were any other reports of this kind of thing on our street and he said no.  I feel like we are being targeted.  I know it's only been twice, but I find it odd.  There are so many other nice yard lights and ornaments on our street -- why us and twice. 

Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 6,120
Registered: ‎03-29-2019

@rms1954 wrote:

I might go sit in my car tonight and watch.  Our driveway is right next to the front lawn.  I want to face this person so I can ask for my property back.  My husband said no.  He ordered a security camera from Amazon and it's coming Friday,  I spoke to the police and of course there wasn't much they could do.  I asked if there were any other reports of this kind of thing on our street and he said no.  I feel like we are being targeted.  I know it's only been twice, but I find it odd.  There are so many other nice yard lights and ornaments on our street -- why us and twice. 


 

@rms1954 

 

I agree with your husband.

 

 

It can be dangerous to confront someone, especially at night.

 

 

If they stole your snail, they obviously don't have any morals, and probably wouldn't be above hurting you.

 

 

Besides, you have no way of knowing that the person who took the light, is the same person who took the snail.

 

 

Besides, what are you going to do?

 

 

Are you going to sit out there every single night for the forseeable future, just in case that one person comes back?

 

When do you plan on sleeping?

 

 

What if you fall asleep while "on watch", and they stole something while you were asleep?

 

 

Just a bad, bad, bad idea all the way around.

The Sky looks different when you have someone you love up there.
Honored Contributor
Posts: 9,592
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

@rms1954   I’m sorry for people who keep trespassing on your property and taking things that are important to you. 

 

I dont have an answer. Haven’t had this problem where I live, but have heard about it from relatives who will never put anything nice outside, again.