It might seem like a plot line to come straight out of a mid-2000s European hipster indie comedy, but there are people who dedicate a significant amount of time to thieving flowers from gravesites.
In fact, funeral directors have gone on record to state that there are certain times of the year let’s see an uptick in foliage theft more than others. Like Christmas. In 2020, local news station WTVA reported that a woman was arrested for stealing flowers off of a grave site, and ABC 7 New York said that in 2017, a New Jersey flower shop owner was caught stealing numerous plants from graves and reselling them.
Concern over flower theft must have been on TikToker @itsbernnnnn’s mind, as they rigged one arrangement they placed on a grave with an Apple AirTag tracker. Her decision to do so ultimately led to the discovery of a petal pilferer.
@itsbernnnnn the disrespect and nerve people have to steal from the dead smh granny stealing at her big old age wtf💀💀
♬ this is for rachel act up by trron on soundcloud – jasmyn
The video begins with a thumbnail that features a text overlay which reads: “caught a thief who stole flowers from our family members gravesite using an airtag”
Viewers are then presented with a recording of three people walking down what appears to be a residential street, two of the individuals are uniformed officers.
The clip then smash-cuts footage of the two officers speaking with an elderly woman wearing a purple short sleeve flannel patterned shirt. She is holding onto a dual-wield walker and stares toward the camera with a puzzled expression on her face.
It looks like she placed the stolen flowers in question in front of her home as a decorative piece. The officers point out the potted plant and someone from behind the camera brings it closer to them as the woman looks on in disbelief.
In the final frames of the video, the man in the red sweater walking up to the home with the police officers can be seen digging out an Apple AirTag in a plastic bag from the plant pot. The TikToker writes in a caption for the video: “the disrespect and nerve people have to steal from the dead smh granny stealing at her big old age wtf”
One commenter was impressed with the TikToker’s decision to track the flowers: “Wowwwwww that was smart of y’all to put the AirTag.”
Someone else speculated that the TikTok user must have had flowers is stolen from her in the past to decide to do this: “i imagine this HADDD to have happened before for yall to put an air tag in it. Did she get charged??? I WANNNA KNOWWWW”
Another wanted to know more about the situation: “Wait!!! The way I just screamed I need to hear her excuse and what made you put the AirTag in the plant in the first place”
One viewer said that someone even went so far as to steal there AirTag and they were able to track their stolen AirTag because… it was an AirTag: “AirTags are so necessary. My AIRTAG was stolen out of my car by the lady at the car wash she didn’t even know what it was”
The Daily Dot has reached out to @itsbernnnnn via TikTok comment for further information.
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Source: https://www.dailydot.com/news/graveyard-flower-thief-caught-by-apple-airtag/