Synthetic Turf Stolen From San Jose Residence As Drought Drives Rising Demand – CBS San Francisco
SAN JOSE (KPIX 5) – As the ongoing drought caused some to replace their lawns, thieves were caught on camera stealing an expensive roll of artificial turf from the front of a house in San Jose.
Security cameras in a house on Eastridge Drive captured a suspicious white SUV at around 1:20 a.m. on Sept. 25, as it slowly drove by with the headlights off.
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Two minutes later, two men are walking towards the property from the left and walking straight towards a large roll of artificial turf in the front yard of Rick Telly’s house.
The thieves struggled with the weight of the roll, but then they picked it up and walked away. It was gone in seconds.
Surveillance videos allegedly showing two thieves stealing artificial turf from a house in San Jose on September 25, 2021. (CBS)
“It was worth about $ 4,000,” said Telly, who owns a small construction company.
Telly told KPIX 5 that he plans to use the lawn for a client’s work and install lawn in his own front yard.
“I think it’s a shame,” he said. “I find it pretty sad that people have to resort to these kinds of measures to steal other people’s property, especially people who are just trying to make a living doing these kinds of services.”
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Neighbor Lourdes Walker said she was surprised the thieves took the turf. “People suffer for money and they are just too lazy to work,” she said.
But then she said it made sense because of the drought.
“That’s what I think for my garden to be replacing the grass,” said Walker.
In fact, one plumber said the demand for turf is at an all-time high, ranging from $ 12 to $ 18 per square foot.
Troy Scott, co-owner of Heavenly Greens, also said project latencies have now been months behind.
“You can imagine that there is an advantage when someone has a part-time job and discovers some lawn. But it’s a bit extreme, I have to say, ”Scott told KPIX 5.
Telly said it’s thousands of dollars out of his pocket but hopes to get the lawn back if he can catch the thieves.
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“Little did I know anyone would resort to these measures to take the weed,” he said.
