Couple accused of stealing more than a dozen succulents from Taylor botanical gardens

TAYLOR, Mich. (FOX 2) - Police in Taylor are hoping to track down a man and a woman caught on camera after hours inside the Taylor Conservatory and Botanical Gardens. 

The two are accused of breaking into the gardens, stealing plants and destroying pots. 

The executive director of the gardens, Erika Sanderson, tells us this isn't the first time this has happened, though. They've been dealing with break-ins for the past year. 

"It's been disheartening. We're a nonprofit. We're based on volunteers, sponsorships, donations, and lately in the past year actually we've had some vandalism as far as some pots smashed, plants being stolen, carts being removed," she says.

In this latest instance, Sanderson says the couple came in around 5:15 a.m. on Aug. 18 with a flashlight. She says they stole more than a dozen succulents. 

"We can only afford what we can do here and it just brings us down a next level, because we're not able to replace those plants and those pots right now that they took from us," Sanderson says. 

Police are hoping someone will recognize the two and give them a call. The woman appears to have extensive tattoos on both arms. 

The gardens technically aren't gated, and Sanderson says they'd like to keep it that way since they're open to the public and embrace the community. She's reminding everyone that they're open daily for free from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. - and are always under 24 hour surveillance.