'Petal Peddler' Arrested By Campbell Police

CAMPBELL, CA -- Police officers have arrested a San Jose man Thursday afternoon for stealing plants, calling the "petal peddler" a perennial thief associated with numerous thefts from Home Depot and other various complexes, the Campbell Police Department said.

Richard Miles, 58, was digging up plants at an apartment complex when a citizen questioned the building manager about the activity. When Miles was pulling away in the UHaul mini van he allegedly uses, officers pulled him over and found 131 plants with tags on them in the vehicle, police said. Apparently, there's a market at the flea market for them, Capt. Joe Cefalu told Patch.

Home Depot recognized its floral victims.

Hearts of palms are known to be worth thousands of dollars.

Miles is on probation for an auto theft conviction.

"So he's a real thief too," Cefalu said.

This isn't the first time the law enforcement jurisdiction has encountered an unusual theft case. Campbell has a "bait" program that serves to set up a criminal of chronic incidents by essentially giving them what they want then catching them in the acts. Police officers have caught porch pirates in similar ways.

Anyone who has been a victim of plant thefts is encouraged to report the incident before "repotting" more flowers, according to law enforcement's Twitter feed #leafthief #flowerprowler #petalpeddler.

The Campbell Police Department can be reached at 408-866-2702.