Current:Home > Scams'Who steals trees?': Video shows man casually stealing trees from front yards in Houston-LoTradeCoin
'Who steals trees?': Video shows man casually stealing trees from front yards in Houston
View Date:2024-12-24 08:05:29
Stealing trees is uncommon, so a Houston neighborhood was baffled when they discovered a random man was uprooting saplings and leaving holes in peoples' front yards.
Surveillance video from a north Houston home on Aug. 22 caught the man walking up to a random sapling in broad daylight, and then yanking the young tree until it pops out.
Moments later, once the man had yanked out the previous tree, he went for another in the same area. A security alarm scares the man off before he can take the second sapling. The security video then shows the apparent owners of the homes the man trespassed on putting the saplings back into their yards.
Watch the mysterious Houston tree thief in action
Watch:Video shows Waymo self-driving cars honking at each other at 4 a.m. in parking lot
'Like what? You stole a tree?'
A separate video obtained by ABC13 Houston captures a different angle of the man's actions, and a woman is heard asking him, "Why are you taking the tree?" The man responds, "I'm straightening it up."
Multiple holes were found in the neighborhood where trees had been stolen, the TV station reported.
"Once the, 'Somebody took my stuff' moment passed, I was like, 'Who steals trees? Like, what? You stole a tree?' I don't understand,' Kelly Kindred, a homeowner in the neighborhood, told ABC13 Houston.
Kindred would text her neighbor, Olivia Topet, who ran to try to apprehend the tree thief.
"I started running after him. I caught up with him a couple blocks away. He had put the tree in a grocery cart and then he went and he hid behind another tree that was still in the ground," Topet said, per the TV station. "I said, 'You can't steal our trees. He looked at me and said, 'I'm sorry ma'am I'll put it back,' and then he ran away.'"
'Shrubs, trees, maybe nothing is safe'
During ABC13 Houston's interview with Topet, she realized her bushes were gone.
"Shrubs, trees, maybe nothing is safe, I don't know," she told the TV station. "I feel like I scared him, but I'm 100% sure he's doing this somewhere else. Probably right now."
Homeowners in the neighborhood have not reported the tree thievery to Houston police because they do not want the man to be arrested or punished, they only want him to leave their property alone, ABC13 Houston reported.
USA TODAY contacted Houston police who are looking into reports of tree theft in the area.
veryGood! (2)
Related
- Megan Fox Is Pregnant, Expecting Baby With Machine Gun Kelly
- Ohtani to speak to media for 1st time since illegal gambling, theft allegations against interpreter
- Body of woman with gunshot wounds found on highway in Grand Rapids
- NCAA replaced official during NC State vs. Chattanooga halftime in women's March Madness
- Man killed by police in Minnesota was being sought in death of his pregnant wife
- Wyoming governor vetoes bill to allow concealed carry in public schools and meetings
- USMNT Concacaf Nations League final vs. Mexico: How to stream, game time, rosters
- Women's March Madness games today: Schedule, how to watch Saturday's NCAA Tournament
- In bizarro world, Tennessee plays better defense, and Georgia's Kirby Smart comes unglued
- Drake Bell Calls Josh Peck His Brother as Costar Supports Him Amid Quiet on Set Revelation
Ranking
- Steelers' Mike Tomlin shuts down Jayden Daniels Lamar comparison: 'That's Mr. Jackson'
- Mega Millions jackpot rises to $1.1 billion after another drawing without a winner
- Powerball winning numbers for March 23, 2024 drawing: Jackpot rises to $750 million
- March Madness picks: Our Saturday bracket predictions for 2024 NCAA women's tournament
- Satire publication The Onion buys Alex Jones’ Infowars at auction with help from Sandy Hook families
- Stellantis recalls nearly 285,000 Dodge, Chrysler cars over potentially deadly airbag defect
- SEC struggles show Greg Sankey should keep hands off of NCAA Tournament expansion
- Elmo advises people to hum away their frustrations and anger in new video on mental health
Recommendation
-
FBI offers up to $25,000 reward for information about suspect behind Northwest ballot box fires
-
West Virginia wildfires: National Guard and rain help to battle blazes, see map of fires
-
New Jersey first lady Tammy Murphy suspends her Senate campaign to replace indicted Sen. Menendez
-
West Virginia wildfires: National Guard and rain help to battle blazes, see map of fires
-
Ranked voting will decide a pivotal congressional race. How does that work?
-
Psst, Amazon's Big Spring Sale Has The Stylish & Affordable Swimwear You've Been Looking For
-
These states have the most Mega Millions, Powerball jackpot winners
-
BTW, The K-Beauty Products You've Seen All Over TikTok Are on Major Sale Right Now on Amazon