Image Shows Suspect In Uprooting At Garden Built For Immigrants

CLEVELAND HEIGHTS, OH — On August 23, someone uprooted the crops at a community garden on Delmore Road in Cleveland Heights. The garden was built to help integrate Nepali immigrants into the community. Now police are releasing information on the person they believe may have been responsible for the destruction.

Investigation into the uprooting started on August 23. Police said the community garden was entered overnight and an unknown person or persons uprooted plants in the garden. Neighbors said they did not see anyone cause the damage.

Investigators discovered that a nearby veterinary clinic had a video camera pointed in the direction of Delmore. Officers reviewed the clinic's video and saw a woman walking west on Delmore toward the community garden. The woman spent approximately 20 minutes in the garden.

The video only captured part of the garden, not the whole lot, but the woman could also be seen walking between the flower beds and crouching down. It is difficult to see what the woman is doing in the video, police said.

After approximately 20 minutes, the woman leaves the garden with a black bag that appears to be full. She walks back in the same direction she came. It is believed the woman removed several vegetables and took them with her, Police Chief Annette Mecklenburg told Patch. The video footage was shown to neighbors of the community garden and no one recognized the woman, police said.

An image of the woman is above this article. If anyone can identify this person, they're asked to contact the Cleveland Heights police department at 216-321-1234.

The community garden was built in June. While the garden is open to the community, it was built specifically to help integrate Nepali families living in Cleveland Heights.

On Thursday, State Rep. Janine Boyd will hold a "Brighten the Night" event to rebuild the garden. At 5:30 p.m., officials will gather at the lot, 3822 Delmore, and hold a brief press conference. Volunteers and officials will then rebuild the lot.

One of the garden's architects Steven Walker said it's too late to replant many of the crops, but a local garden center is donating some plants that can be grown through September and into, possibly, October.