Wild garlic thieves caught in the Leipzig region

The wild garlic is still barely peeking out of the ground, but thieves are already targeting the plants. At the weekend, the police arrested two suspects in the north of Leipzig and two in the south near Böhlen.

Kilos of bulbs dug up

According to the police, in one case the suspected thieves had dug up 40 kilograms of wild garlic bulbs and prepared them for transport. In the other case, it was 44 kilograms. The loot was seized.

The suspects are 24, 27, 29 and 42 years old. They are being investigated for commercial theft and violations of the Federal Nature Conservation Act.

In Saxony, wild garlic thieves are particularly prevalent in the Leipzig region with its extensive riparian forests. In recent years, people have repeatedly been caught taking sacks of wild garlic from the forests.

Strict rules for collecting wild garlic

Strict rules apply to collecting the plant, however. One bunch per person is permitted. If you are in a nature reserve, even one leaf picked is too many. The Federal Nature Conservation Act applies there.

For several years now, officers from the Leipzig-Nord police station and park rangers have been patrolling the forests alongside a police bicycle squad to curb the thefts.

According to the police, root tubers are the most frequently dug up. They are considered a delicacy in Russian-speaking countries. Accordingly, the perpetrators are mostly Russians or Chechens. According to police, the suspects arrested on Sunday are also Russian.