This year we have been the target of an unusually high number of attempts to nick our stuff by thieving bastards using stolen cards and the like. Sadly one of these low life scum bags got away with it. In August we sold a juniper to Mr Darren Deschauer of Clyde Vale, Old Perry St, DA11 8BT (Actually in Gravesend, Kent) – 07484871120. Only now does our payment provider demand their money back and so the little guy loses, that being me. Not to worry because I am big enough to get over it. However I am hoping nobody has been offered this stolen tree for sale. If you do, let us know. You could call the police but based on previous experience they won’t be interested. If you know who has our juniper let me know so I can feed my dogs 😉
G.
Update:
Turns out that Mr Darren Deschauer is the owner of the card in question and not the perpetrator of the fraud so please don’t find him and bash him over the head on my behalf. On the other hand if you feel inclined to pop down the the address in Gravesend and peek over the fence, in the unlikely event you spot my bonsai I have a posse that would like to know 😉
Hi Graham,
Sad to hear of this happening. I trust you have told Lee Verhorevoort, who’s nursery is in that area, to be on the look out for it. He was of course at Heathrow on Sunday selling his trees. Gravesend is a notorious travellers area, so the tree could by now be anywhere ( Ireland?) I assume you’ve had plenty of dialogue with the credit card company as this was a stolen card, and they should have been more vigilant. Have you got insurance to cover this sort of thing happening?
Let’s hope this was a one off.
Regards Derek.
PS. Looked at my air layer apple today and there are signs of roots in the moss. Not masses, so will leave to the spring to take off from the host. Initially thought it had only produced short stubby calloused roots above the cut. But on a closer look lower down, as the plastic was peeled away I could see more roots. Many thanks for your advice and to Clonex for another 100% success.
It makes my blood boil, read the article in today’s Daily Mail about Karma – it won’t get your tree back but hopefully the low life responsible will get his in spades.
With a bit of luck the Bonsai community will keep an eye out.
Should have their “****ing fingers chopped off!!!!!!!!!!!!
Graham, I have shared this on the Wee Trees Forum and our club Facebook page
The same thing rarely happened here in the Philippines.
Of course they had to focus on the unusually large and therefore RARE and valuable Juniper….nasty scum!!! -.-
Hi Grahm,
Sorry to hear about the theft.
However I can’t let this pass without taking exception to the comments of Derek Stevenson. While the tree could have been stolen by anyone to single out the travelling community is bad enough. But even if they were involved and given they are found all over Europe, please do not single out my country as the likely location of the stolen tree. It is a rediculous and insulting generalisation.
John.
If I caught them I would torture them before letting my wife lose on them. Hope you catch them soon.
I hope you get your tree back and the thieving bastards get sorted,by all accounts it’s a waste of time calling the police they are to busy being pc, dancing in the streets and wearing funny masks, this once great country of ours is COMPLETELY KNACKERED thanks to the politicians.
Hear, hear, George.
In the past we had an online fraud perpetrated upon us to the tune of just over £10,000. The policeman arrived at the house, stood in my office and basically said, “Ah, it was online. Sorry mate nothing I can do, report it to the governments “Action fraud’ website.” That we did and of course there was NO ACTION whatsoever. The only good use for politicians nowadays is as fertiliser for trees. Absolutely nobody in this world deserves more contempt than the great British political class with their noses in the trough to which we all have to contribute so much.
G.
So sorry to hear of your misfortunate event.
I would be distraught if some absolute so and so had stolen one of my trees.
I really would.
And to have such a beauty taken, absolute crying shame.
I really do hope you do get some sort of retribution.
Hi Graham,
Sad to here of your loss after all the hard work you put into providing an excellent range of bonsai products.
Unfortunately there exists scanning devices that can read credit/debit card information by being in close proximity to a victims wallet, coat or bag without having sight of the cards content.
Currently there exists a cheap solution to this problem buy purchasing a wallet or card holder that is made of very thin aluminium. Current scanners, at present are unable to penetrate the metal casing.
The new improved secure wallets cost under £5 from eBay and Amazon.
Hope this information is of use and I apologise in advance if everybody is already well aware!
so sorry to hear this Graham I’m sure it will turn up in time that’s my biggest fear someone will take my trees all The best in The future
Better put my NYPD hat back on in your pictures! Or maybe I’ll come over and we can go collect some payback!
Hi Paul.
Still got the hat 🙂
Nothing to say but f—wits hope their feet drop off,
I am so very sorry that this has happened to you. Believe its not the first time this has happened in the bonsai community. A sad reflection of the time we now live in and that fraudsters will stoop to anything these days. They don’t appreciate all the care that has gone into producing your tree – they only see £’s they hope to get by selling on. Let’s just hope whoever comes across it in the marketing process is honest enough to flag it up if they are in the bonsai community and get in touch with you and the perpetrator gets caught and rough justice given.
Graham,
So sorry about your loss, I have been doing Bonsai for about 20 years and just in the last few years have been worried about slimy collectors paying me a visit. I have always wanted to sell Bonsai a my home but with all the losses I have been hearing about no selling for me at home. If these people get caught they should be
turned over to you for a couple of weeks for some root pruning and maybe a little branch wiring and trimming. Lets find them and make pay !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1
Graham,.
So sad to hear about your loss. I have been doing Bonsai for about twenty years and just lately starting to get nervous about my collection. I have installed motion lights and got two dogs that eat people to help with protection.
I have always wanted to sell my plants at home but after all that I am hearing not now. If you find these people send them to my house my dogs need some fresh food. No time for this type of collectors, plus they are hurting a great resource
and missing the fun of working on Bonsai
Send all info on the guy you have inc numbers address emails etc and let’s see what us FSociety as a collective can do we have caught people out good before and uncovered lots of shit on people they will wish we hadn’t and should the be reading this you have 48hrs to arrange either payment or tree back as of 22:55pm 24th October 2017
hello graham
is that post code correct , it has too many digits
Dear Graham
Some body done you for a nice tree i know its not a good thing nobody deserves that.
I look at it like this .lets say you sold that tree an six months down the road that tree dies. You will have very unhappy customer.
In one way its a goodthing. May be that bonsai wasnt for you. It might have carried a voodo. I believe in karma .
I m sure you will find and get manny more trees. What goes aroundcomes around.
It was nice meeting you at the show .
See you soon.
I hope that $@#@%$###@ @&%$#$$#@@ @#$$%$#@@ @#$$$@#@-@
gets their come-uppance. In spades. Slowly.
Hi Graham,
I am so sorry to hear what has happened. It’s a very beautiful tree…as your trees are. As you may recall, I had a collection of over 40 trees stolen from my house. I knew who had stolen them, but could not prove it. Well guess what, the guy was eventually caught and is now in prison. sadly, he heard the police were on to him and he removed the trees to a secret location. What really galls me, is….he was on the front page of the local evening paper, holding a Japanese White Pine, telling people that he had cared for the tree for over 30 years. Yeah right….it was one of my trees he was holding. Told the police and like you said in your message, they boys in blue were not interested. Keep safe buddy and I for one, hope to be in touch with you again soon.
Paul…Coventry.
Where can I buy it?