Seaholme and Altona residents have been upset by green-fingered thieves literally taking over their turf.
A Seaholme resident said she was walking around Cherry Lake when she noticed a large patch of grass had been dug up, possibly for someone’s nature strip.
“It’s actually been taken out like turf,” said the resident, who asked not to be named.
“It’s about a metre wide and a few metres in length.
“It appears to have been cut out and, I believe, possibly used as turf to plant and let it spread on a nature strip or in a property. No matter what it’s been used for, it’s obvious that it’s a malicious and deliberate act of damage and theft.”
It’s not the first time garden-minded thieves have targeted public assets.
In June, thieves stole several round cacti from a roundabout outside the Civic Centre in Altona.
The golden barrel cacti, at the corner of Pier Street and Civic Parade, were planted about a year ago.
Would-be thieves were also interrupted trying to steal a palm tree from outside the Spotswood Railway Workshops in Melbourne Road.
VicTrack, which owns the land, foiled the attempted theft after a resident noticed that the historically significant mature palm had been dug up.
Hobsons Bay council said it had not received any report of stolen grass around Cherry Lake. Part of the popular recreational spot is managed by Melbourne Water.
