STOLEN PLANTS: Tree theft suspect caught on video in Houston’s Woodshire neighborhood of Stella Link

Houston, Texas (KTRK) – As spring approaches, you might consider planting some new trees, but if you do, be sure to keep a close eye on those plants.

A beautification project on Stella Link suffers a setback thanks to plant thieves.

It may sound outrageous, but the Woodshire Civic Club has video to prove that someone ripped one of their new trees out of the ground and ran off with it.

“There’s a lot of shock and disbelief that someone would steal a tree,” said Christian Jubitz, president of the Civic Club.

Security cameras were rolling when someone parked their car along Stella Link’s yard. A person was caught on camera tearing down a newly planted pine tree.

“When he got it off the ground, it had a lot of dirt and mulch on it, so I don’t know, he must have made a mess of his car,” said Gobitz.

The homeowners’ association has embraced the gardens, and over the past few months, volunteers have been planting, watering, and tending to young trees in an effort to make the street more pleasant.

“We’re working hard and working hard to do something like this, to improve our city and our neighborhood, and for someone to take on this, it’s very random and upsetting, and we hope it’s not a trend,” he said.

Watch related story: Caught on Camera: Plant Thief Targets Shady Acres

The entire neighborhood was taken aback by the ugly response to making the community a nicer place.

“It’s a strange thing. We don’t know the car and we don’t recognize the individual, so we don’t have any motive,” Gobetz said.

The civic club filed a police report and posted the video online in hopes that someone would identify the plant thief.

Residents know it’s not the crime of the century, but since the tree theft was made public, other victims have come forward.

“We’ve seen some people post on Nextdoor that they have other examples of stolen landscaping and plants. Just to let people know that people are watching, the community is watching,” said Gobetz.

The cost of a poached pine tree is about $50, the association says, but the time and effort to plant and care for the trees takes a lot of volunteer time.

If you identify the Plants gang in the video, we urge you to contact the Houston Police Department.

SEE ALSO: Video shows woman stealing potted plants from balconies

For more information on this story, follow Jeff Ehling FacebookAnd Twitter And Instagram.