Bamboo Thief

Other things that involve bamboo

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oobmab
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Bamboo Thief

Post by oobmab »

Anyone ever have problems with bamboo thieves? A few months ago someone cut 10-15 culms from my grove alongside the road. If it was a mature grove I wouldn't care. I do care, though, when 2 culms from a 3 culm planting are cut, which he did. A week ago my cat came inside and indicated that something unusual was happening outside. I went outside and heard something down by the road (about 250 ft). I started running down there, but noisy pounding on gravel let whoever was down there know that somebody large was headed their way fast; so when I got there all I saw was a white SUV speeding away. He had partially dug up a new shoot. I left a note where he dug that I'll sic the sheriff on him if he comes back. I've seen his car use this road frequently.

I don't do this kind of thing. I always get permission, or I don't dig.
Tarzanus
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Re: Bamboo Thief

Post by Tarzanus »

Feel for you. That kind of ***holes are the worst. At least he could wait a couple of years or ask you where he could buy one for himself. I would gladly give him a division if he shares same kind of bamboo enthusiasm as myself. :mrgreen:
dependable
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Re: Bamboo Thief

Post by dependable »

I caught a guy digging into some P aureosulcata in the berm between me an the main road. He dug a few clumps of culms, offered me a $20 when I confronted him. I turned it down and kept the plants. In this case, I don't think the guy was that aware he was stealing. I don't know, he seemed like a working guy who wanted some 'boo, but my groves were young then and I was counting every new culm. Now I see how thick that grove is 10 years later, I kind of wish I had shared. he did seem like a decent sort, but I caught him at the end of a long work day.

But your situation sounds less innocent than that. Sharpen the pungi sticks?
oobmab
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Re: Bamboo Thief

Post by oobmab »

It's not a big deal at all. Just aggravating because it's been so much work to get the area covered with bamboo in a very challenging environment. The one thing I can't get out of my head is a grownup speeding away in a car; he knew he was doing wrong. If he had just asked me, I would have found something for him to dig with the assurance that there would be much more in the future if he would just leave the grove alone for a few years. I think part of the problem is that many people view bamboo as an invasive weed, so what's the problem if they help themselves.

In a way I regret feeling like I have to leave a threatening sign (inconspicuous from the road; only visible if digging the clump), but I want to nip this thing in the bud. Not so much the digging of the clump, but the cutting of culms that happened previously. That really pissed me off because it damaged some stuff that I planted last year that got totally leaf burned this past winter. Fortunately, new shoots have come up this spring, but they are a lot smaller than what was cut.
T9D
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Re: Bamboo Thief

Post by T9D »

Is it obvious to everyone that it's your land? It might have looked to be on public land. If bamboo or anything runs into public land it's free game, since at that point it ends up just costing the city money to control it. And I see home owners actually plant stuff all the time on public land thinking their property went out that far when it actually didn't :occasion5:

I'd probably still ask though if it's obvious who's grove is came from. But I'm sure even if he thought it was public now anyone would run off when hearing angry footsteps coming :mrgreen:
He probably knew he was stealing though. But maybe it was just a future boo brother that didn't know better :mrgreen:
Nicholas
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Re: Bamboo Thief

Post by Nicholas »

oobmab wrote:
In a way I regret feeling like I have to leave a threatening sign (inconspicuous from the road; only visible if digging the clump), but I want to nip this thing in the bud.
It all depends on the circumstances but like you said, this is a "grown up" person that is knowingly doing something illegal.
The emphasis lies on illegal. Imagine if you walked up to a house with a wooden deck and started removing boards because they look nice or started cutting down a tree for wood.

I've gathered my fair share of seeds and the odd cutting from places where I shouldn't (mostly parks and botanical gardens ) so I should be the last person to complain.
However I'd never take something that would endanger the plant's survival or severely affect it. And private gardens are an absolute no-go.

On your sign you could tell them to make amends and speak to you and then you'll oversee this incident as a foolish action.
If they ignore the offer and keep digging I'd then press charges, after all you made it perfectly clear that you do not want this plant disturbed and it is your property.
oobmab
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Re: Bamboo Thief

Post by oobmab »

T9D wrote:Is it obvious to everyone that it's your land? It might have looked to be on public land. If bamboo or anything runs into public land it's free game, since at that point it ends up just costing the city money to control it. And I see home owners actually plant stuff all the time on public land thinking their property went out that far when it actually didn't :occasion5:

I'd probably still ask though if it's obvious who's grove is came from. But I'm sure even if he thought it was public now anyone would run off when hearing angry footsteps coming :mrgreen:
He probably knew he was stealing though. But maybe it was just a future boo brother that didn't know better :mrgreen:
I think it is pretty obvious. At some point the boo will cross the drainage ditch and spread into the road shoulder, at which point they can do what they want. The fact that he left the way he did shows that he knew it wasn't his. I wish he had stuck around. I am fully sympathetic to his goal as well as desire to acquire his boo for only sweat equity. Heck that's how I got 90% of mine (over 200 clumps), but I always asked. I realize that there is not much boo around here, and I'm not a scrooge who won't share, but this just isn't the time for that, at least without my directing what can and can't be taken. I am not that concerned about the clump he tried to dig, the location of which approaches the threshold where he possibly may have thought it was on public land, as much as I am about confronting the person who cut the culms that were very obviously on my land. Until then I have to appear like a hardass and live with this weird feeling that could have been a workable relationship. It'll work itself out; it's only boo.
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Re: Bamboo Thief

Post by johnw »

How about a sign saying simply "Spot the camera?"

john
johnw coastal Nova Scotia
marcat
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Re: Bamboo Thief

Post by marcat »

there is a place near me that has some punting pole that people are allways stealing culms from. the idiots are allways cutting the first or 2nd year growth, totally worthless as canes.
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oobmab
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Re: Bamboo Thief

Post by oobmab »

The guy did such a hack job digging the clump that both shoots have now aborted.
canadianplant
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Re: Bamboo Thief

Post by canadianplant »

You could just put a sign saying "guard cat on duty to protect bamboo, dont take it ask and you shall receive", starts off with a joke but is serious at the same time.
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DesertDweller
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Re: Bamboo Thief

Post by DesertDweller »

:shock: Wow! Sometimes I long for a larger, open tract of land where I could grow a proper grove rather than indulging in my bamboo hobby within the confines of my backyard.

But... then I read stories like these and think that sometimes having 6-foot block walls and 7-foot gates surrounding my bamboo are worth the tradeoff. Some people's arrogance can be utterly astounding, and some 'adults' can behave worse than most children, despite knowing much better the difference between right and wrong. :roll:

Just sad. :|
mountainbamboonut
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Re: Bamboo Thief

Post by mountainbamboonut »

Why not do both! ha. I have a few acres to grow boos and a fence around all of it to keep the zombies out! I have sandwiched field fencing between boos to make barrier breach more difficult during zombie apocalypse.
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