Stop stealing our care home's flowers!

Ridgeway Court Care Home, in Sedgley, has had several flower pots and hanging baskets taken from its front driveway leaving it out of pocket.

Now management at the Dudley Road care home have decided to install CCTV to try and catch thieves red-handed.

Bosses say that the flowers are planted as a way to bring colour to the home, as well as being therapeutic for the residents.

Rachael Broadley, deputy manager, said: “It has happened frequently over the past couple of years and is really getting us down.

“They are targeting the loose hanging baskets and pots outside on the front garden.

“We also have a flower bed on the grass.

“We have never caught anyone stealing them yet but felt it best to get CCTV put up to try and make it stop.

“How would they feel if it was happening outside of their grandparents’ house?

“This is something that we do to try and make it look nice for the residents.

“They are restricted to what they can see and love to get involved planting them too. We want to say stop and think – respect your elders.” Staff say that the most recent incident happened about a month ago, when they noticed that one of the outside flower pots had disappeared leaving behind just a pile of soil and remains of a flower.

The alleged thefts have not yet been reported to police – but management said that if they catch anyone on CCTV or the problem continues, they would report it.

This is not the first time this kind of incident has taken place and some of the remaining pots have been screwed into the bricks, hoping that this way they won’t be stolen.

Iris Worrell, care home manager, added: “It is very disheartening to see this happen. We are a care home, at the heart of the community, and we put heart in everything we do. It is discouraging to see this kind of behaviour.”

If anyone feels they have any spare flower pots, they can also contact the care home directly.

The home looks after a total of 35 residents.