Langley plant thefts under investigation
Published 1:30 am Friday, June 12, 2026
A series of plant thefts struck downtown Langley recently.
About 15 plants disappeared from public planters in the latest of three separate instances of plant robbery this month, according to the Langley Main Street Association. Langley Police Chief Tavier Wasser said the police department obtained a statementTuesday morning, and added that the thefts are currently under investigation.
Whether a human or an animal is responsible for the plants’ disappearance is uncertain. A photo from one incident shows a small dirt hole in a planter — missing one plant but not all of them — and dirt scattered on the ground below.
Wasser declined to discuss any leads, but he clarified that plant theft is a crime.
Under state law, theft in the third degree constitutes “theft of property or services which does not exceed $750” and qualifies as a gross misdemeanor.
In a release, the Langley Main Street Association expressed its sadness about the thefts, and emphasized that the plantings are the product of hours of “planning, design (and) hands-on work” made possible through donations from local businesses.
“We visited three nurseries, including a wholesale grower not located on the island to select plants that matched the carefully curated color palette for the season,” it reads. “Once planted, the containers require daily watering and maintenance, often taking several hours each evening.”
Board president Tim Callison urged anyone with information to come forward, and detailed his frustration.
“Stealing from our downtown planters is unacceptable,” he said in the release. “These displays represent a significant amount of volunteer labor, financial resources and community pride. Together, we can protect and preserve the beauty that makes downtown Langley special.”
