A man was finally caught after allegedly stealing plants and flowers for years from residents’ yards and gardens in upper Northwest Washington neighborhoods.
Maged Sandouka, 68, was arrested on Friday, May 6, after he was spotted allegedly stealing flowers from a community garden near Georgetown. This isn’t his first brush with the law. He was arrested in 2014 after he allegedly stole peonies from another community garden but never showed up for his hearing in court.
Police said Sandouka, dubbed The Flower Thief, was raiding community gardens and yards at night. They said he may have been doing it for a long time since residents have been missing their flowers for many years prior to 2011. Barton Turner has been tending his community garden for 18 years and recalls hearing about The Flower Thief years ago.
“About a decade or more,” Turner said. “It’s part of the lore of the place.”
After Sandouka was arrested, he told police there was no law against stealing flowers, and he is a heart surgeon who uses the flowers for aroma therapy. According to court records, Sandouka appears to be homeless.
“It is kind of a sad story, on a sad day out here,” Turner said. “I wish the man the best. It sounds like he needs some counseling or medical help.”
A judge order a mental health evaluation, set a court day and released Sandouka on a promise to return to court for his trial date.
