Weird World
Theft of hedge angers and puzzles Norwegian family
By DPA
Jun 28, 2005, 19:00 GMT

Oslo - Unkown thieves have dug up and stolen 32 newly planted bushes outside a family's home in western Norway, reports said Tuesday.

The Molvik Botnmark family said the evergreen Thuja (arbor vitae) shrubs were last seen Thursday afternoon when they left the house for a weekend trip, local newspaper Bergens Tidende reported.

The family discovered the theft on Monday, and said the stolen shrubs were worth around 6,000 kroner (920 dollars).

None of the neighbours heard anything, but the thieves were believed to have carried out the raid at night.

"The theft could have been commissioned, or it could be done by a roving band offering cheap hedges and garden work," Borre Botnmark told the newspaper.

Instead of replacing the missing hedge with new bushes, Botnmark said he was thinking of putting up a fence.