DAVIS, Calif. — "The Growing Groves Plant Shop," an eight-week-old plant store in Davis, had a break-in at their store on Friday, May 20, resulting in a rare and expensive plant being stolen.
The plant taken was a monstera Thai constellation plant worth $2,000, and co-owners Ricky Barosa and Larry Groves were horrified at the aftermath.
"We were on our way to the store when we got a call from the landlord," Groves said. "He said that there was a small hole in one of our windows, so we weren't expecting anything too crazy but when we got closer, we noticed the whole plant was gone. That's when it like really hit us, because we never expected something like this to happen."
The co-owners were able to capture the two suspected thieves scoping out the area and eventually running off with the rare plant from their store's security cameras.
They also filed a police report, but have not received any updates. ABC10 also reached out to the Davis Police Department, but the inquiry was not immediately returned.
Due to the store being LGBTQ-owned, Barosa initially thought this robbery could have been a hate crime. However, there has been nothing but love from the local community as well as the plant community across the country.
Groves grew up in Dixon but would sometimes escape to Davis just to explore, so he felt safe starting a plant shop in a small environment like Davis.
Now, since the robbery, Groves said the city of Davis as well as the plant community across the county has shown a lot of support for their store.
The co-owners are now utilizing social media platforms and warning others to keep their eyes out for potential listings of this rare and expensive monstera Thai constellation plant.
"The end goal is to not let this happen to anyone else, whether that be plant shops in Sacramento and in the Bay Area or other stores in Davis, we just don't want anyone else to have to experience this," Groves said.
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