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Property theft captured on security cam while resident was in hospital
Published Oct 03, 2025 • 5 minute read
Surveillance cameras recently recorded the theft of a flowering plant outside Bob Dunn’s apartment in the Uptown area. Photo by John Lappa/Sudbury StarArticle content
Usually, you are given flowers when you are ailing. Bob Dunn had a bunch nicked from his Uptown home.
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The Sudbury man was undergoing cancer treatment last month at Health Sciences North when he got an alert on his phone, which is connected to a security system at his residence near Marymount Academy.
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“The cameras go right to the phone, so I get this beep,” he said. “I showed the nurses and said ‘you gotta be kidding me, somebody just stole my flowers.’ I actually watched them do it as I was sitting there in a chair getting chemo.”
The footage captures a man approaching his home on foot, grabbing a potted flowering plant Dunn had placed on a stool next to his driveway, then jumping into a compact SUV driven by another individual and zooming off with the leafy loot.
The Levis Street resident said he had purchased the pot of flowers back in the spring, along with several others that line a wall beside his parking spot, as he likes to beautify the front of his home.
“It only cost me about $50, so it’s not the money part,” he said. “The issue is somebody would do that — and in the middle of the day, because it was around noon. It seems like these guys are porch pirates.”
The culprit appears to be middle-aged but his face is partially obscured by the brim of a cap, while the vehicle, blue in colour, looks — to Dunn’s eyes, at least — like a Nissan Rogue, although its plate is not discernible.
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Dunn said the theft occurred on Sept. 5 and he went to the police station to report it a few days later, after getting back from his cancer treatment. He has since emailed the city police service as well, and shared the clip, but had not received any response as of Thursday.
“You’d think you would get a phone call at least, saying they’re not going to bother when it’s this amount of money, but I’ve got nothing from them yet,” he said.
GSPS spokesperson Sarah Kaelas said officers have been managing a high volume of calls of late, many of which involve lower-priority criminal complaints.
“This demand unfortunately results in longer wait times for those investigations,” she said in a message to The Star. “We understand the frustration this may cause and want to reassure residents that there is no statute of limitations for criminal offences in Canada. When an officer is able to investigate and sufficient grounds for a charge are established, the individual responsible can be held accountable – regardless of how much time has passed.”
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The incident at Dunn’s residence “appears to be a single report involving a blue SUV and the theft of a flower pot from a residential yard,” she said. “At this time, no other similar incidents have been reported.”
While property theft remains an ongoing concern, Kaelas said police “have not observed a significant increase in these incidents recently.”
Bob Dunn rings the bell at the Northeast Cancer Centre, where he has been undergoing chemotherapy treatment.
For Dunn, however, it sure feels like there has been an uptick.
The 63-year-old was born in the Sault but has called Sudbury home for the past 26 years — all of that time spent in the same apartment, in a three-unit abode on Levis, where until recently he’s felt quite comfortable and secure.
“A couple of years ago I had someone break into my car and steal almost $1,000 worth of tools,” he said. “My deductible was $1,000 so I had to just go and buy new tools rather than put in a claim. That’s when I put the cameras up.”
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Since doing so, he’s captured footage of would-be thieves peering through the windows of his car at night and checking to see if the doors are locked, but the snatching of a flower pot in broad daylight is a first, and more unsettling, given just how brazen and mean it was.
“I’m just trying to make my place look pretty, but people don’t care at all,” he said.
The stool that held his plant has remained empty since the flowers got snatched and will stay that way for some time. “I’m not going to buy any more at this time of year — and I don’t have the cash,” he said. “I’m on disability, you know, so not a lot of money.”
He’s also wondering now how much effort and expense to put into further yard enhancements.
“I do this every year,” he said, in reference to his floral displays. “And now I’m a little worried about putting my Halloween decorations out this year. I’ve got little minions, four feet tall, and dragons and stuff. What if they go and steal all that?”
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jmoodie@postmedia.com
Steps you can take to protect your property
With Halloween approaching and parcel thefts continuing to occur sporadically, police encourage residents to take proactive steps to safeguard their homes and neighbourhoods.
• Build strong neighbourly connections: Knowing your neighbours fosters a sense of shared responsibility. Simple acts like collecting mail or packages, mowing lawns, or bringing in bins while someone is away can help deter criminal activity – and are often reciprocated.
• Make your home appear occupied: Leave lights on at night, park a car in the driveway, or ask someone to check in while you’re away. These small actions can discourage opportunistic theft.
• Apply Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design principles: Trim hedges and trees to eliminate hiding spots. Ensure your property is visible from the street and neighbouring homes. Consider installing motion-activated lighting, security cameras, and monitored alarms.
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• Secure your valuables: Keep outdoor items out of sight and locked away in garages, sheds, or inside your home.
• Lock up and light up: Ensure all doors, windows, and outbuildings are locked. Maintain a well-lit exterior to increase visibility around your property.
• Document your belongings: Record the make, model, and serial numbers of valuable items. This information is crucial for police investigations and insurance claims in the event of a theft.
• It is common when investigating these types of crimes for police officers to be told later by a resident that they saw someone at a neighbouring property. This situation is potentially a crime in progress and should be called into police immediately. Providing the best description of the suspicious person could lead to an apprehension. Your keen observations can reduce crime in your neighbourhood.
• To report theft after the fact go to www.gsps.ca/en/reporting/theft.aspx.
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