TUCSON (KVOA) - Some southeast side residents are finding themselves in a "prickly predicament" as thieves are pulling up to their homes and stealing cactus right from their front yards.

Those thieves are not just after any cactus, they are digging up expensive specimen ones.

The crimes have been happening at Civano, located off Houghton and Irvington roads.

Maria Kellogg manages "Beauty Is" Salon. She told News 4 Tucson, the cactus thefts are in the Civano Forum, and some of the clients are also talking about the thefts.

"It's very strange to me I never thought I would be talking about people stealing cactus before. But actually, makes me kind of sad you know to have to hear your personal belongings even if it's outside of your house isn't safe anymore," Kellogg told News 4 Tucson.

Thieves are even stealing cactus from the medians. Just about six miles away, thieves are making their way to another quiet neighborhood.

Terry Teale points to holes in the front yard where specimen cactus once stood.

"We had a triple golden barrel here that was pulled out. And up here was the "Old Man" and another Mammillaria that was very very pretty," Teale said.

The thieves even left a footprint where they dug up one of the cacti. Teale said she and another neighborhood had a total of eight cacti stolen.

"In the middle of the night a week ago Saturday I came out the next morning they had literally ripped them out of the ground," Teale told News 4 Tucson.

Some of the cacti were nine years old, and a landscaper told her because of the age and size of the stolen plants could be worth $500.00.

Now Teale is rethinking about replacing the stolen pieces.

"I'm afraid to put anything that's worth much out in my front yard anymore."

Thieves are also targeting Civano Nursery, and have taken some of the front plantings along the roadside.

Stephanie Carmen is the floor manager, and has been at the nursery for 15 years. She said she hears from customers weekly about cactus thefts.

She pointed to the Totem Pole cactus and commented that one is especially popular because they are thorn less and make such a nice statement piece that retails for $4,000.00.

The Organ Pipe Cactus is also highly sought after the going price for plant is $3,250.00.

So, who is behind the thefts?

Carmen suspects it's someone in the industry that's finding the free plant material and selling it.

Meanwhile, Teale has a message for the thieves.

"We've worked a long time to get our yards pretty the way they are so please don't do that anymore."

Lupita Murillo is an investigative reporter. She is part of the Digging Deeper team that uncovers important issues focusing on crime that affects the community.

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