Police are searching for a light-fingered, green-thumbed thief who has made off with a large haul of valuable bonsai plants from the back garden of an Adelaide home.
More than 20 of the miniature trees were reported missing from a home on Lakefield Crescent at Mawson Lakes earlier this month.
Police said a "large number" of plants were stolen after the home's back garden was entered some time on Saturday, February 5.
That includes mature bonsai plants more than 40 years old and valued at approximately $20,000, police said.
The victim reported another "three large bonsai trees were stolen" from the property on Tuesday, February 15.
Luke from the SA Bonsai Society told ABC Radio Adelaide Afternoons host Sonya Feldhoff that there is a strong sentimental value associated with bonsai as well.
"There are bonsai that change hands for that sort of money, but really the real value in bonsai is the aesthetic and sentimental value," he said.
"My own collection here, most I haven't paid money for them, they have been grown from seed from cuttings and grown by me for many years.
"What price do you put on that for watering and pruning every day for years or even decades? A thousand dollars might not seem enough."
Luke said it would be difficult for the thieves to sell the stolen trees.
"That's something that's hard to understand about a bonsai theft is where on earth would you try and sell them?" he said.
"The Australian bonsai community is quite a tight-knit community and all of the people in all of the bonsai clubs and on Facebook and all the other platforms will be keeping an eye out for these trees."
Police have asked anyone with knowledge of the thefts or who saw suspicious activity in the area around the time of the thefts to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or online.
