Plant pot thieves used fake plates in latest bizarre raid on South Shields gardens

The CCTV footage shows a man running away with one of the plant pots.

The unusual thefts took place in broad daylight, with houses in Bents Park Road targeted by a man and woman who then fled the scene by car.

CCTV footage from a neighbouring property captured the bizarre incident, which shows the couple walk up to a home and make off with two plant pots - loading them into the car even as a woman runs out of a home appearing to film them on her phone.

A woman was also seen taking a second plant pot away from the same home.

Resident Ryan Bengston, 23, shared his CCTV footage on Facebook following the theft, which took place around 10am on Wednesday, August 8, which has racked up more than 5,000 views.

Northumbria Police has launched an appeal for information and confirmed that the offenders were using a stolen registration plate on the car involved to conceal their own.

Ryan, who has lived on the street for eight years with his family, said it is not an isolated incident.

He said that thieves have even taken plants straight out of the pots themselves in cases where they are fixed to the ground.

A woman runs out from an address on the steet to confront the thieves.

“It is just ridiculous,” he said.

“Using fake plates to pinch plant pots in broad daylight, it seems an awful lot of effort just for some plant pots.

“But it’s not the first case on estate - it has been going on for a few days.

“My cousin who lives two streets behind got his pinched the day prior, although he bolted his pots down they still took the plants straight out the soil.”

A Northumbria Police spokesman said: “Police are appealing for information after a report of theft in South Tyneside.

“At around 10.05am on Wednesday, August 8, police received a report of plant pots being stolen from an address on Bents Park Road in South Shields.

“It is understood that a man and woman parked their car next to the address and entered the front garden.

“They then took two plant pots and fled the scene in their car.

“While CCTV footage has caught the car leaving the scene, it has now been confirmed that the offenders were using a stolen registration plate to conceal their own.

“Anyone with information is asked to contact police on 101 quoting reference 291 080818 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.”