by Alan Smith
ajsmith@thekmgroup.co.uk

When Linda Jennings woke up on her birthday, she got less than she bargained for.

Overnight, thieves had stolen not one bush, not two but an entire hedge from her front garden.

School catering manager Mrs Jennings said: “We were just completely shocked. I mean, come on, is nothing safe?”

The 10 Red Robin bushes were part of a hedge of 12 that Mrs Jennings had planted 18 months previously.

To add insult to injury the thief returned two days later and took the remaining two plants.

Mrs Jennings, of Loose Road, Maidstone, said: “I can’t see that pulling them up like this is going to do them much good.

“You can speculate that there might be a second victim here. Someone might be paying a contractor to provide them with a nice new Red Robin hedge, only to find that the plants die after a short time.”

Mrs Jennings, a catering manager at Rochester Grammar School, has been given an estimate from a garden centre of £25 per bush for replacements.
The first theft occurred between 10.30pm on Monday, August 16, and 9.30am the next day.

The time of the second theft can be pinpointed more accurately, as the remaining two bushes were still in place when Mr Jennings left early for work. They were stolen between 5am and 9.30am on Thursday, August 18.

Anyone who saw anything suspicious or who has just been sold a Red Robin hedge in unusual circumstances is asked to contact them on 01795 419182 or ring Crimestoppers anonymously, quoting reference CY/013093/10.