Vandals Trash Lawn & Garden

Last weekend someone vandalized my lawn and garden. I first noticed when I picked up the newspaper early Saturday morning. It looked like a rabbit or something had run circles in the dew-wet grass.

The same pattern was present Sunday morning. I didn't know what to think. After the dogs started rubbing in it I thought maybe it was some kind of animal musk.

While mowing later that day I kept smelling Round-Up. If you've ever used it you know it has a distinct odor. I also remembered noticing last year that dew looks different on grass sprayed with Round-Up.

By Wednesday the pattern in the dew had morphed into a pattern of dead grass. Unfortunately portions of the lawn were not the only casualties. The vandals also sprayed a half-dozen newly planted roses. They may also have a crepe myrtle, a deciduous magnolia, and a cleyera. The latter is evergreen so we'll know in a few weeks. I won't know about the other two until next spring.

I called the police who said they'd keep an eye out. When I mentioned it to my neighbor across the street, she said someone had dumped a box of nails in the street at the end of her driveway a few weeks earlier. She and her husband suspected kids living at the other end of our street.

When I shared this information with my partner he said he thought the kids were prime suspects. They have a yard sale almost every weekend which includes gallons of Round-Up and boxes of nails. We believe we were targeted because our houses are at the end of a cul de sac. You can see headlights coming in plenty of time to run away and hide.

The police have increased patrols. I hope to flag one down next time to tell them about our theory. I thought about saying something to the parents myself. However, with his shaved head and tattoos, the father doesn't strike me as the type to appreciate the information. Then they really would target us.

At first I was mad. Now more than anything else I'm hurt and sad.

The Crotchety Old Man