Pacific Bonsai Museum on CNN

[rockm]

This is how I would have gone too. Big media coverage, as big as possible. Interesting story for mainstream press too. As much publicity as possible to stop a sale and put pressure on the thieves.

Thieves stole bonsai trees worth thousands. The museum just wants them back | CNN

Two bonsai trees worth thousands of dollars that require special care were stolen from a Washington state museum, the museum said.

edition.cnn.com

 

[PeaceLoveBonsai]

The Twitter Comments...

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1227406999467499523

 

[just.wing.it]

CNN, getting into the real news game.
Nice.

 

[MrWunderful]

“Bonsai is torture for plants. Please stop”

Lol

 

[cheap_walmart_art]

Man alive, Twitter is such a cesspool lol.

 

[Hartinez]

The Twitter Comments...

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1227406999467499523

We’re all doomed.

 

[rockm]

CNN, getting into the real news game.
Nice.

Lets stay away from this for this thread. Thanks

 

[just.wing.it]

Lets stay away from this for this thread. Thanks

Humor is dead. Thanks.

 

[cheap_walmart_art]

Outside of the jokes, so what happens with these higher profile bonsai thefts? Do the trees often get found or returned? Is it usually a random who steals them for whatever reason, or unscrupulous bonsai dealers/practitioners?

 

[bwaynef]

I always cringe when articles are posted about how valuable bonsai are. I guess it just reminds me I need to put up those security cameras I bought on Black Friday.

 

[Warpig]

Outside of the jokes, so what happens with these higher profile bonsai thefts? Do the trees often get found or returned? Is it usually a random who steals them for whatever reason, or unscrupulous bonsai dealers/practitioners?

Sadly most end up just a case of, too see if I could or a dare and the trees die.

 

[rockm]

I always cringe when articles are posted about how valuable bonsai are. I guess it just reminds me I need to put up those security cameras I bought on Black Friday.

Normally I do too, but Aarin and the museum director were very vague about value and tag them with an astronomical value. The emphasis was on "they're gonna die because the idiots that took them probably don't know how to take care of them" the museum was also cagey about not coming out and saying that directly.

 

[rockm]

Outside of the jokes, so what happens with these higher profile bonsai thefts? Do the trees often get found or returned? Is it usually a random who steals them for whatever reason, or unscrupulous bonsai dealers/practitioners?

They come back, sometimes in rough shape, dead, or unharmed. The tree stolen way back when from the National Arboretum was returned in a few days none the worse for it. The kid that stole it wanted to impress his girlfriend. A local cop had a hunch who took the tree and had locals press the kid to bring the tree back, from what I understand. The thieves here don't look all that capable if you watch the video.

 

[bwaynef]

Normally I do too, but Aarin and the museum director were very vague about value and tag them with an astronomical value.

Two bonsai trees worth thousands of dollars

 

[rockm]

Can't fault that. They're not worthless, nor are they worth $100. That's pretty evident to most people. And value is the question at the top of people's minds. Leaving it unanswered allows a lot of speculation...just saying that they didn't give a "$10,000" or more price tag, or "they're priceless" response...

 

[bwaynef]

Just saw a post that they were returned.

 

[rockm]

Great news! Sounds like the thieves dropped them off at the gate where they would be found. I'd bet the thieves felt pressured by the mainstream reports.

From the Museum FB post:
STOLEN BONSAI RETURNED! We are pleased to report that the two bonsai stolen from our secure, public exhibition space on Sunday, February 9, have both been mysteriously, miraculously RETURNED to the Museum.

Security guards discovered the pair of bonsai sitting on the road leading to the Museum at approximately 11 pm, Tuesday, February 11.

Museum Curator Aarin Packard says they are, fortunately, in fairly good shape. “The Silverberry suffered some damage. It has some broken branches, probably due to improper transportation and handling, but both bonsai trees and their pots appear to be intact, which means they can return to being on public display.”

The bonsai will be back on public display by 12:00 noon today -- COME VISIT them! Additionally, the Japanese Black Pine, originally grown from seed by Japanese American Juzaburo Furuzawa while he was incarcerated during WWII, will resume its position as the centerpiece of Pacific Bonsai Museum’s upcoming special exhibition, World War Bonsai: Remembrance & Resilience, opening May 8, 2020.

THANK YOU to everyone who helped share the news of the missing bonsai and perhaps made them 'too hot to hold.' We are so grateful to all of you.

We have also noted your good suggestions that we could use a security system upgrade, and already some community members have pledged their support to help us implement an upgrade. Please join them by taking a stand for bonsai:

 

[rockm]

The report says to me this was a "theft by idiot" incident. Some knuckledragging dimwit saw the trees and an opportunity and took both. Doesn't sound to me like an orchestrated theft organized by professionals.

 

[just.wing.it]

Wow.....
Awesome ending to an f'd up story.

I hope they do some kind of Investigation so that they can nail the idiots to the wall somewhere.

Sick of theives getting away.

 

[Mayank]

Thank goodness!