Plot thickens over ‘great veg robbery’

aT first glance it looked like the crop crime of the century.

Gardeners about to gather the winter harvest found that someone else had beaten them to it.

more than half a ton of vegetables had literally been lifted – including 1,000 carrots, 200 leaks and 200 turnips.

Yesterday, after staff at Glasgow’s Pollok Park returning to work feared they had been hit by crop rustlers, a less sinister theory began to emerge.

a sign at the Doors Open Day over the weekend, next to a basket of produce, invited people to ‘help themselves’.

and a witness suggested that one group may have misinterpreted it on sunday, saying: ‘When we walked past the vegetable garden, there were 15-20 people of all ages, from four years old to around 60, ripping out the vegetables from the garden. There were lots of different families, couples doing this.

‘There was a laminated sign on the vegetable patch with the Glasgow city council logo on it stating that the vegetables are surplus – and because it was a community garden, to help yourself.’

a council spokesman said: ‘Perhaps it appeared people could simply help themselves. it resulted in considerable damage – vandalism that staff had to deal with.’

Police are investigating the incident.