Hundreds of pounds worth of rare plants have mysteriously disappeared from prominent locations around Levenmouth.
Police are hunting green-fingered thieves after valuable vegetation vanished from Methil Cemetery, Kennoway Cross and even the roundabout at the Bawbee Bridge.
Council officers believe those responsible are using the cover of darkness to dig out the plants in the dead of night, and one theory is they are stealing to order.
The thefts began five weeks ago and the latest lot to disappear is a new batch of palm trees, spiral firs and buxus ball plants from the middle of the roundabout, which stands on a busy junction.
John Haskell, team manager for parks and open spaces for the Levenmouth area, said up to £600 worth of plants has been taken. “It’s almost like someone is looking for particular plants,” he said.
“You would expect if it was kids they would just chuck them in a hedge nearby but these have been dug out and it’s all our healthiest specimens.
“They’ve all gone within a week of us planting them.”
He added: “The spiral firs are heavy so they’re a two-man lift. There’s obviously more than one person involved.”
Mr Haskell does not yet know whether the council will be able to afford to replace the stolen plants. “We’ve now started planting the bedding plants so we’ll have to look at our budget after that’s finished.
“There are significant items missing and because they are part of a group of plants, you can’t just slide others over to hide the holes.”
Councillor Jim Young said the cost was coming out of taxpayers’ pockets. “They’re not being pulled out and thrown about. They are going missing as if someone is stealing them for sale or to put in their own garden,” he said.
“They must be doing it at night because the Bawbee Bridge is a really busy road so someone would have seen them during the day.”