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Opinion: Jerk faces charges after stealing prized Burnaby rose bushes

Ray is talking about how someone stole his rose bushes and he’s so mad he sounds like he’s jumping out of his chair while I interview him via phone. “It was unbelievable,” said Ray (I’m protecting his identity as his request).
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Ray is talking about how someone stole his rose bushes and he’s so mad he sounds like he’s jumping out of his chair while I interview him via phone.

“It was unbelievable,” said Ray (I’m protecting his identity as his request). “I’m still shocked at how it happened.”

Ray contacted me after reading my blog last week about someone stealing flowers from people’s Burnaby yards.

“I can top that,” said Ray.

Twenty-eight years ago, some rose bushes were planted at the front of his home – located in the Edmonds area - and they are prized by him, his wife and the rest of the neighbourhood.

Ray and his wife were sitting in their backyard recently - "just sipping our tea" - when the weather was still sunny when they heard a ruckus at the front of the home.

Someone had pulled up and ripped out six rose plants. Now they were ripping out the rose bushes.

A neighbour spotted the flower thief and started yelling. Ray’s wife ran out and saw the thief taking off in a vehicle.

“My wife is screaming at this guy,” Ray said.

Thankfully, the neighbour was able to take down a licence plate number. Ray checked him home’s surveillance cameras and replayed the entire bizarre incident.

The Burnaby RCMP was called and officers were able to track down the rose thief and charges are pending.

“I don’t understand,” said Ray.

I don’t either.

Follow Chris Campbell on Twitter @shinebox44.