Gnomes Surround Police When Secret Garden Discovered

Mad Garden Gnome Thief Builds Wonderland


'Intruder Alert! Intruder Alert!'

from FOX News

KANSAS - The zany garden gnome thief of Leavenworth, Kan., has built a truly spectacular display of madness.

Police uncovered a cleared-out section of the city's Haven's Park bizarrely adorned with 50 garden gnomes, three chimineas, two hammocks, three lawn chairs, yard lights, and other items, according to The Leavenworth Times.

Cops believe all of the items were taken during a recent string of thefts in the area. Shrubs taken from a nearby nursery school were also found planted at the site of what police are calling the mad garden gnome thief's "safe haven."

"It's the strangest thing I've seen," Detective Sgt. Robert Mendoza told The Times.

An officer first stumbled upon the site on Oct. 26, spotting hammocks through the trees while he was stretching his legs.

Cops found intricate trails lined with stones carefully mined from a hole nearby — one leading to an area with benches and another to the area with hammocks, chimineas and gnomes everywhere, Mendoza said. Mendoza said tools for barbecuing were also found.

"The work that went into this stuff is amazing."