A Sad Thing To Do, I Think.

[gness]

I don't like to see dead and dying flowers on a grave and I don't go over the top decorating around my late husband's headstone as seems to be the norm now.
I made a beautiful wreath and every three months I change something about it to represent the season....til today.
I went to exchange winter for spring and some blighter has stolen winter. It was wired on to the top of the stem holder which is still there but with cut pieces of wire sticking out. I should be grateful they didn't take that I suppose.
I don't think it's kids or youths because the pedal car and toys for the child in the next grave are still there.
So I will make another, but I spent quite a bit on the stolen one so........if I sprinkle chili powder...quite liberally..on this one and it doesn't wash off will the thief...should he/she return.... suffer a little if the powder is transferred from their hands? With luck to a sensitive part of the body.

[KenkoQueen]

Isnt it shameful what people will steal these days? Trouble with chilli powder is that it it easily washed away, and may harm any birds or wildlife.

[Canary42]

But what if he/she handles the sensitive parts of someone else's body ?

A bit unfair.

This is the danger of any form of booby-trapping - it may catch an innocent person.

[abstibus]

Could you intertwine some very prickly stems?

[gness]

KQ...I shall mull that over.

Canary.....stealing from a grave?...Taking from a dead person?...Tough I'm afraid. He/she would have to be touching them pretty quickly. No. In a graveyard with wire cutters? Deserve anything they get.

[Psybbo]

That is so sad, gness but I've seen others on here having the same thing happen.
Maybe reassure us all that the chili powder is a joke?

[DTCwordfan]

Electrify it......'specially if he/she is using cutters.

[Mojo-Jo-Jo]

But what if a child touches the pretty wreath Gness?
Don't you see? You risk hurting more than just the criminal and that's never worth it.
When was the last time you were there? Is it possible that it became someone's Christmas wreath?
It's not right of course, but it might go some way to explaining it.

[Baldric]

That's a pretty low thing for someone to do, go with the Chilli powder gness!

[Mojo-Jo-Jo]

Maybe your dog will lick it Baldric.

[gness]

No joke Psybb. The arrangement I did was nice. Very simple but I spent a lot of time and money on it. I like the grave to look cared for....can't do anything else for him now. Except remember and give him the odd telling off for something. ;-) I am dammed if I am going to put anything cheap and tacky there just to stop them. But I intend to stop them.

[Psybbo]

I wonder do they steal them to sell on?

[joko]

maybe they started to looked a bit dead if they were 3 months old ?
or was it stuff that lasts?

but sometimes the grounds keepers go around and remove dead ones, just to tidy up.

but yes its bad when people do that - i think they bizarrely believe that its somehow 'doing the best they can' for their loved one, giving them the best stuff - but how respected and nice would that person feel to be given stolen flowers?
i guess some dont care though - its all about how they appear to others that matters to some people ... rather than the truth..

[gness]

Mo-jo. I visit every two or three weeks. It wasn't a Christmas wreath..but if it was? Dogs I think aren't allowed in the cemetery....not everyone scoops. My children wouldn't fiddle with the arrangement on a headstone.......behave appropriately for the place and situation is not a bad thing to learn.
Thanks Baldric.......tis his grave and mine eventually so if anyone is fiddling or stealing.....well tough.

[Canary42]

You missed my point gneiss - Mojo re-made it.

[rockyracoon]

When I was floristing it was widely known that some unscrupulous florists would pinch fresh tributes from graves to sell on, scumbags!

[shoota]

You need a man with a shoota....

[Baldric]

I have enough respect not to walk my dogs in graveyards.

[humbersloop]

Sad for you too ((gness)), that's a nasty experience - you're entirely right to be angry.

Whatever disrespectful little shyte that did it is more to be pitied than scorned though, and in the way of things more than likely it won't be them that cops for any consequences.

[gness]

Joko....it was everlasting because I don't like the grave to look neglected. If I am on holiday for two or three weeks dead flowers would look so sad. That is why I bought good quality artificial leaves and flowers to make the arrangement.
I change the flower colours seasonally.

[Mojo-Jo-Jo]

I don't think what they did is right at all Gness, but the type of revenge you are planing on dishing out, without any care for who it might hurt, is just as bad IMO.