Police have arrested an elderly woman accused of going into people's gardens in Queanbeyan and stealing flowers. It is believed the lady would then get on the bus to Canberra and sell the blooms to make a few extra pennies.
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NSW police said they were told the woman was "entering peoples front yards and cutting their flowers".
"Police understand that many other nearby residents have also been impacted by this persons actions and that there was a growing community interest in the matter. Police conducted a thorough investigation in an attempt to locate and identify the female," they said.
They found her on Thursday, waiting to catch a bus into Canberra.
"This female was also in possession of a trolley containing a large basket of bunched, arranged flowers. Police cautioned the female and asked her about the flowers," they said.
"The person made admissions to entering peoples yards and cutting their flowers. The female further stated she catches the bus to the ACT where she sells them for an amount of money. Police seized the flowers and issued the female with charge papers to attend Queanbeyan Local Court."
Having apprehended the alleged bloom snatcher, officers took her ill-gotten blossoms to the hospital in Queanbeyan and gave them to patients.
And then publicised their efforts online.
The hunt and the donation to the town's hospital, including its maternity ward, were given the full blast of police PR on the station's Facebook page.
To which the public responded more with brickbats than bouquets.
There were more than 500 comments as of Friday morning. Many showed sympathy for the woman, apparently of an immigrant background, who community members say was trying to supplement her meagre income.
"You've publicly shamed this poor woman who clearly needs more financial and likely mental health support," one person responded to the police post.
"There are so many worse crimes happening every day and this just makes you seem sanctimonious, self-aggrandising and petty."
"Dragging an elderly immigrant with hardly a dollar to her name to court for selling flowers. You are the heroes we deserve," another member of the public said.
It should be said that there was some praise for the police, too.
"Thank you all so much for sorting this problem for so many of us. It may not be big crime but she was making money by stealing someone's hard work," one person wrote.
Some responses were nuanced.
One woman acknowledged that a crime had allegedly been committed but added: "If the lady would like some of my roses, she is welcome to come and knock on my door and ask me. I will happily cut her some flowers. We might even become friends."
"I hope this poor old lady, who now has no future with selling flowers, is going to be okay," another woman responded.
"What will her life be all about now, nothing to do, unable to afford to travel back to her home country every year?
"I would imagine that she will be very depressed, emotional and afraid. She needs help."
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The investigation and its outcome also prompted a rethink from a customer.
That person said: "I have been buying small bunches of flowers from this lady in Kingston and thought she must have an amazing garden. I'm so sorry."
When The Canberra Times contacted Queanbeyan police on Friday morning, the response was that the inspector had no comment.
Steve Evans
Steve Evans is a reporter on The Canberra Times. He's been a BBC correspondent in New York, London, Berlin and Seoul and the sole reporter/photographer/paper deliverer on The Glen Innes Examiner in country New South Wales. "All the jobs have been fascinating - and so it continues."
Steve Evans is a reporter on The Canberra Times. He's been a BBC correspondent in New York, London, Berlin and Seoul and the sole reporter/photographer/paper deliverer on The Glen Innes Examiner in country New South Wales. "All the jobs have been fascinating - and so it continues."
