Ugly Truth of Petunia Pilfering

[Ysarex]

Bit of a story:

Two years ago I'm walking home from the grocery and as I approach the garden there's a backhoe digging a pit at the corner of the garden!

No prior courtesy contact or notice they just showed up and started digging. Turns out it was AT&T installing some junction box for their cable and they claimed they had legal easement rights. They left a pretty ugly scar and scattered a little straw. Now there's this big access cover at the corner of the garden and nothing will grow there.

So I decided I'd at least put a pot of flowers on the access cover (last season).

Pink petunias -- which worked out real well until..... one morning I walked out to the garden and they're gone! My wife tells me it's not too uncommon and that it was probably a landscaper who drove them straight to a customer's yard and charged them $65.00.

Needless to say I was crushed and disillusioned -- petunias, really? And at the time I didn't have a photo of them to post on Nextdoor asking if anyone sees them to let me know.

So this year I've got pics:

And I filled the bottom of the pot with concrete rubble. It's so heavy I was afraid to put it on top of the access cover so I put it on the edge. So far still there.

Joe

 

[SquarePeg]

They just showed up and started digging on your property? I think I would have called the police.

 

[Gary A.]

If that is a concrete vault, it can easily withstand the petunias. Out here, easement or not, all the utilities are quite courteous. We have a pole in the back. A worker stepped on a new orange tree. The wife made a call and a check was mailed, no-muss no fuss.

 

[Gary A.]

PS- We had a number of tree roses lining the front yard and the sidewalk. One day I came come and they well all gone leaving only a trail of dirt in the street. Most likely the same gardener that took your petunias.

 

[Ysarex]

If that is a concrete vault, it can easily withstand the petunias. Out here, easement or not, all the utilities are quite courteous. We have a pole in the back. A worker stepped on a new orange tree. The wife made a call and a check was mailed, no-muss no fuss.

I actually think it's some kind of resin.

Joe

 

[tirediron]

Huh... sure would be a shame if you were watering your lawn and accidentally filled that vault... over and over, and over....

 

[Gary A.]

If that is a concrete vault, it can easily withstand the petunias. Out here, easement or not, all the utilities are quite courteous. We have a pole in the back. A worker stepped on a new orange tree. The wife made a call and a check was mailed, no-muss no fuss.

I actually think it's some kind of resin.

Joe

Yeah, that's a polymer concrete, it is actually stronger than concrete. It is most likely a "Tier 5" (should state Tier Level on the cover). Tier 5 is good to 5,000 lbs.

 

[smoke665]

Now me, I'm the kind that would have replaced the petunia with a beautiful potted plant sure to attract the thief again. I would have set that pot in a metal/galvanized bucket. Then set the bucket on a piece of rubber mat. I would then run an insulated wire from the bucket to my "IT ONLY TAKES ONCE" trainer (electric fence box with weed chopper). Put up a big sign by the pot "DANGER DO NOT TOUCH", and waited for the fireworks.

 

[Jeff15]

What a strange story.....

 

[Ysarex]

They just showed up and started digging on your property? I think I would have called the police.

It did occur to me to complain but I thought of all my previous interactions with AT&T when I was a customer and got that idea out of my head fast. They do have legal easement but common courtesy would have at least required advance notice. They're not helping their poor public image with that kind of behavior.

Joe

 

[Ysarex]

Huh... sure would be a shame if you were watering your lawn and accidentally filled that vault... over and over, and over....

Occurred to me -- I'm tempted but my neighbors would be collateral damage.

Joe

 

[Ysarex]

What a strange story.....

Hope you enjoyed it

Joe

 

[jcdeboever]

They just showed up and started digging on your property? I think I would have called the police.

It did occur to me to complain but I thought of all my previous interactions with AT&T when I was a customer and got that idea out of my head fast. They do have legal easement but common courtesy would have at least required advance notice. They're not helping their poor public image with that kind of behavior.

Joe

not worth the numerous menus you'll have to go through to get to where you think is the right department, only to be put on hold for two hours and finding out you chose the wrong department.