A WOMAN caught on CCTV taking flowers from community planters has been asked to stop.

She was filmed lifting plants from Boundary Road, Portslade, over the weekend.

It follows a two-week spate of flowers mysteriously disappearing from community-funded planters.

Councillor Robert Nemeth has called for the woman in the CCTV to come forward and join in with the project instead of stealing from it.

He said: “The community is certainly hurt that our plants are being stolen but the intention isn’t to name and shame.

"We have an open invitation to anybody who loves the plants to come and get involved, rather than stealing them."

The spate of disappearances comes amid a replanting effort for the street's "Covid relaunch".

Flowers including nepeta and marguerite plants have been vanishing from the beds.

Twice the woman was filmed on CCTV hanging around flowerbeds before putting the plants into her Sainsbury's bag.

She was caught taking the flowers from a planter outside the Old Bank at 2.28pm on Saturday.

Then, two minutes later, she was caught appearing to take flowers from another planter a few metres away.

The Argus: The plant thief in Boundary Road has been asked to stop

Cllr Nemeth added: "The police are aware of the thefts though and we will be forced to take further action using perfect CCTV imagery if further incidents take place.”

Blooming Boundary is a bid to add "colour, biodiversity and smiles" to the road and was formed five years ago.

The community-led effort was started by Karen Young and Conservative councillors Garry Peltzer Dunn and Robert Nemeth.

There are now 24 planters on the road which have cost about £7,000. They are maintained by the public and traders.

Cllr Nemeth added: "It’s a volunteer endeavour that relies on goodwill from residents and traders and over 50 people are involved."