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Petunia Thief Strikes At Bethel Park Bakery

BETHEL PARK (KDKA) -- A woman with an apparent penchant for petunias is perplexing a lot of people in Bethel Park.

"At this point we're kind [of] tending to laugh about it but it is quite peculiar that it keeps happening in Bethel Park," says Julie Lytle of Bethel Park Bakery.

The surveillance video makes it clear that the alleged perpetrator with a desperate need for a potted plant picked up one hanging outside Bethel Bakery on the Fourth of July.

"Our owner came in on the Fourth of July to water them because of the heat about 7:45 p.m. and they were missing."

In all, two petunia baskets were purloined – and would you believe it – the woman took one and returned a second time for the other.

At 11:12 a.m. after opening the hatchback of what looks like a Ford Edge, the woman walks up and lifts the first basket off the hook.

At 4:39 p.m. she returns again for the second basket.

Nearly a year ago in August, a surveillance camera at J.W. Peters Electric on Milford Drive captured video of a culprit, also a woman, ripping off a petunia plot by actually digging up the posies.

Despite re-planting the petunias three times and having them disappear, that caper remains unsolved.

But considering the current case, could there be a cookie reward for information leading to a return of the plants?

"We were thinking about that, but not at the moment."

The surveillance pictures are so crisp you can probably recognize the woman if you know her and if you do give Bethel Park police a tip.

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