bonsaiTALK Community - View Single Post - How to prevent bonsai theft?

I also have had a few bonsai "lifted" over the years from the handicap ramp exiting my practice. The first was a sweet little Serissa I had just potted up as a gift for my sister. Sounds naive but I was really hurt! It's nice to have a few bonsai on display as they present such a radical difference in what the business is about (medicine) that it puts a nice human touch on things - same reason we have such extensive gardens BUT I guess that's why it killed me to have them stolen. I know the phrase "they ruin it for everyone" is overused but...
I did not use to bring the bonsai inside at night - now the staff grabs them as soon as it gets dark & we have both motion sensor lights & two security video cameras that run continuously. Place looks like a freakin' airport at night but I'd rather beautify the practice and have the odd theft (with the chance of the culprits ending up on America's Most Wanted video section!).
Such is the price we pay for loving as Dickens would say "portable property".

25-Nov-2001	#4
JLK bonsaiTALK Craftsman Join Date: Nov-2001 Posts: 66	Re: How to prevent bonsai theft? I also have had a few bonsai "lifted" over the years from the handicap ramp exiting my practice. The first was a sweet little Serissa I had just potted up as a gift for my sister. Sounds naive but I was really hurt! It's nice to have a few bonsai on display as they present such a radical difference in what the business is about (medicine) that it puts a nice human touch on things - same reason we have such extensive gardens BUT I guess that's why it killed me to have them stolen. I know the phrase "they ruin it for everyone" is overused but... I did not use to bring the bonsai inside at night - now the staff grabs them as soon as it gets dark & we have both motion sensor lights & two security video cameras that run continuously. Place looks like a freakin' airport at night but I'd rather beautify the practice and have the odd theft (with the chance of the culprits ending up on America's Most Wanted video section!). Such is the price we pay for loving as Dickens would say "portable property".