Not just flowers – Latgale municipalities battle thieves who steal shrubs and topsoil too
Municipalities in Latgale invest annually in public flower beds, but regularly face people who dig up and take plants, shrubs and even topsoil; a recent case in Rēzekne has drawn wide public attention.
Every spring and summer, Latvian municipalities, including those in Latgale, spend money and effort to keep city streets, squares and other public spaces looking tidy and colorful. Flowers are planted, beds are arranged and shrubs are added — but alongside the blooming displays, people regularly show up to take plants for themselves.
According to observations from several Latgale municipalities, this is not an isolated problem: cases of plants being pulled up and removed from public areas recur year after year. The losses are not limited to flowers alone — planted shrubs and even the topsoil used to prepare the beds have also disappeared from public plantings.
Such behavior creates additional costs for municipalities, which must repeatedly restore damaged or emptied flower beds to keep public spaces looking well maintained.
Recently, a case in Rēzekne drew broader public attention after another instance of plantings being stripped was uncovered. The incident has once again highlighted this recurring issue in Latgale's towns, where municipalities continue searching for ways to protect their investments in public greenery from this kind of theft.
