Stolen Trees Notification

Bonsai Trees Worth £5,000 Stolen in St Annes, UK
Ron Sharples has been collecting the trees for more than 60 years. A collection of bonsai trees worth about £5,000 has been stolen from a pensioner's home in Lancashire.
About 25 trees were taken from 87-year-old Ron Sharples' front and back gardens in Lytham St Annes, on the night of 5 April.It is believed the trees, at least three of which were worth about £1,000 each, may have been stolen to order.

Anyone with information about the theft is being urged to contact Lancashire Constabulary.
Mr Sharples has been collecting the trees since 1958 and had more than 40 of them in his collection.'Zone of tranquillity'

I just received this notification in an email

Those stolen include a 3ft (0.9m) tall ginkgo biloba bonsai, a juniper bonsai and a Korean fir bonsai.
Also taken were a Chinese oak, a Chinese elm, a Chinese maple bonsai and a Huntington's elm bonsai.

Mr Sharples said: "You can't buy the years." There is a tranquillity about bonsai. The philosophy is good, never mind going to bingo or dancing or any of that "The zone of tranquillity that they create, that's what it's about."

Police said the trees were stolen sometime between 21:00 BST on 4 April and 09:00 the following day.
A spokeswoman said it would have taken several people to lift the rare trees from the gardens, due to their size and weight.
It is thought those responsible used a large van or similar vehicle to take them away.
Mr Sharples said: "I looked outside on Thursday morning and they had all gone."
"I don't expect the ones who have stolen it have got the conscience to do anything about it, but there might be somebody who knows them who has."

Anyone with information about the theft has been urged to contact Lancashire Constabulary.

I hope they catch the punks!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-lancashire-17752403

terrible. i hope there are some images of the trees so that the thieving bastards can never resell or exhibit these trees.

Really terrible!!!
I believe those trees were stolen by someone who already knows about them.
I hope they're found quickly!

It always amazes me crooks rip off someones' bonsai trees! It's such a small hobby in context, I just never think anyone who appreciates bonsai could steal someone else's trees. I feel terribly sad for Mr. Sharples!
Good Luck finding this 'punk' and getting his trees back!

Makes me sick to the stomach, every time I read or hear about some thing like this! And it happens much more than most of us would think! That's why I dont think it is wise to talk about the value of Bonsai, that might set off a other one of those people that steal some ones life's work just to make a few bucks!
Pictures! Lets get pictures of these stolen trees as soon as possible on the net, so that any one that is thinking of stealing or buying stolen trees knows: that he or she will never ever be able to show any one of these stolen trees to...well any one, ever! Because we all know how they look, and we dont forget! Please contact this poor guy and ask him for pictures of his stolen trees! So that we can see them, spread them around and keep a eye out for them from now on! That is the only way to tell any one that is thinking about it, DONT! You are stealing or buying some thing that you can never enjoy! I hate this ####!
Cheers,
Hans van Meer.

It's sad that I have this little rolodex of tree pictures in my memory to "be on the lookout for." I agree we need pictures.

As economic times grow tighter we need to realize these trees are valuables out there, just sitting outside, just like a rolodex or a diamond ring.

This is one of the sad reasons why my small collection remains largely private and anonymous.

-Jay