DENVER — A garden center on Leetsdale Drive has been robbed or nearly robbed eight times since the beginning of June, and the owner said it has cost him around $30,000.
Security cameras at Country Fair Garden Center have captured multiple incidents of theft in the early morning hours, including one just Tuesday.
"This is the Rose of Sharon he stole. It's a beautiful plant," owner Cade Scholl said.
The plant alone was worth close to $100, according to Scholl.
Scholl said thieves have pulled on a sliding door, broken through fences, and stolen plants — repeatedly finding new ways past the security measures he has put in place.
"We've added fencing, small fencing, so they can't fit their hand through. We've added lights. We've asked our security folks to do more patrols," Scholl said.
The concerns don't appear to be isolated to Country Fair Garden Center.
Two doors down at Tasty Donuts, Denver7 observed an employee speaking with a private security company about similar concerns, including people crouching at doors and waiting for them to open at six in the morning.
Data from the Denver Police Department's crime dashboard shows 19 larceny reports and 4 robbery reports in the area since the start of the year.
A Denver Police spokesperson said the department has made one arrest. Arrest documents show the 31-year-old suspect is connected to multiple thefts from Country Fair Garden Center and had 3 active warrants out of Denver.
Scholl said more people still need to be held accountable.
"There's more than one people that's stealing from me, so ultimately we'll see what happens. I'm hopeful," Scholl said.
Denver police told Denver7 the department is ramping up daytime and overnight patrols in the area.
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