Woman charged with landscape theft

Posting a fake Craigslist ad offering free plants just because you don’t like your neighbor’s landscaping might land you behind bars.

 

A McHenry woman turned herself into police on Thursday, three years after she allegedly posted the fake online ad that sent a woman to the neighbor’s home to thin out flowers and bushes.

 

Kristen Thompson, 37, was charged with theft, a Class 3 felony, a release from the McHenry County Sheriff’s office said.

 

Back in 2008, sheriff’s officers responded to an address in unincorporated McHenry for a fake craigslist posting that led to the theft of several plants and bushes.

 

Deputies met with the woman who said she responded to a posting to gather some flowers and bushes. The posting claimed the homeowner wanted to thin out plants and bushes in his front yard and anything in the yard was available to the public, the release said.

 

Those responding did not know the posting was fake and believed they “were acting in good faith,” the release said. The homeowner told officers he didn’t post the ad and was the victim of a fraudulent act.