Thieves stole thousands of dollars worth of rare planters and exotic plants from the beleaguered Narrows Botanical Garden last week — the latest attack on the all-volunteer green oasis along Shore Road.
Cops said that the burglars broke in sometime after the garden, which is at 69th Street, closed for the night on Thursday, April 21. When workers showed up on Friday morning, they discovered that two sheds had been broken into and $2,090 in terra cotta planters, Hinoki and Boxwood shrubs, a $3,000 bonzai tree, Evergreen trees and other valuable plants had been taken.
All of the material had been donated, which doubled the feeling of violation.
“We’re just so disgusted over this,” said Jimmy Johnson, the garden landscaper. “I can’t believe someone would do this to a volunteer effort.”
Johnson added that the stolen shrubbery represented the most expensive plants in the garden, which led him to believe that the thieves have a green thumb.
“Whoever did this knew what he was doing,” said Johnson.
It is unclear if there is any connection between this crime and a spate of other mysterious incidents at the garden. Earlier last week, Johnson found some vegetables and herbs stolen from one of the sheds. And last month, Parks Department workers broke into the garden after getting a false tip that chickens were being illegally kept in a coop there. That incident was linked to a disgruntled neighbor.
“There is only so much I can take,” said Johnson. “First the chicken incident and now this — we’re just so vulnerable here.”
Anyone with any information about the burglary is asked to call the 68th Precinct at (718) 439-4211.
