Would-be flower stall thief caught in the act (From Your Local Guardian)

Would-be flower stall thief caught in the act in Carshalton

12:15pm Thursday 12th July 2012 in Top Stories By James Pepper

Where there's muck there's brass as they say, or in this case flowers.

Stunned residents in Rosehill alerted police when they saw a man making off with a large flower stall hooked up to a pony and trap.

A 36-year-old man was arrested after the stall, which has been in it's position for 40 years, was removed from next to the Co-op on the Rosehill roundabout.

The stall was pulled through the Co-op car park and back alleys to Stavordale Road, Carshalton, where it was stopped by police.

Members of public called police concerned that a horse in the area was being mistreated.

Less than an hour after the stall was taken, a man was arrested for theft of the flower stall and for aggravated animal cruelty and was taken to Sutton police station for questioning.

He was bailed to return to the police station pending further enquiries while the horse was taken into the care of the RSPCA.

The incident happened on Tuesday, June 26, at around 11.30am.

The stall owner, who only opens the stall for a few hours each Sunday, has now decided to chain the stall to the railings.