It is a sad time at SIUC when we must refrain from planting beautiful, exotic plants on our campus for the fear of them being stolen.

Since April, plant thieves have been pillaging the landscape around the Agriculture Building. This has not only cost the University about $2,000 in expenses, but these unscrupulous thieves have robbed us of the chance to enjoy the beautiful garden that once existed there.

And that garden did not only have aesthetic value. Those plants, trees and shrubs were planted and used as landscaping and design projects by SIUC students needing such hands-on experiences.

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But it did not take long for thieves to attempt some hands-on experiences of their own. Karen Midden, an associate professor of plant and soil and general agriculture, noticed two exotic Japanese maple trees were missing only a week after they were planted. As a result of that $160 theft and the other thefts soon to follow ideas of putting more plants around the Agriculture Building have been shelved.

There are people existing in our community who would rather steal campus plants, instead of buying their own from one of any number of local merchants. Worse, this action an act of the highest degree of laziness most likely will go unpunished. It is too difficult to catch the plant thieves in action, so there is little that University Police can do about the crimes.

But if anyone has information about the greenery thefts or even wants to return a stolen plant call Karen Midden at 453-2496. Midden has volunteered to replant any plants that are returned. So if the campus plant thieves have just a hint of a conscience left, SIUC could have its missing garden back soon.