A Northland nurseryman has taken to sleeping among his plants in a bid to catch thieves who have stolen thousands of dollars worth of stock in recent weeks. Plant Pro nursery owner Jerome Luiten, of Kauri, is furious the thieves had targeted his business four times in the last month, mostrecently on Sunday night when 44 cycads and two palm trees were stolen. About $7000 worth of stock had been taken during the heists, with palm trees the main target. Mr Luiten, who works 13-hour days, has slept among his plants twice in recent weeks in the hope of catching the culprits, but to no avail. He is uninsured and the thieving had hurt his business. He is looking at installing security. ``Heaven help them if I catch them,'' he said. Hikurangi police Constable Gavin Benney said at least two other Whangarei nurseries had been targeted by plant thieves in recent weeks. Mr Benney believed a ``reasonably organised group'' was behind the thefts. Anyone with information should call police.
