Cost effective in this economy?

Sebastopol plant thief pursued by police, deputies

Press Democrat- California

Police on Friday afternoon were chasing a plant thief who stabbed a Sebastopol homeowner with pruning shears.

The man was being chased on foot on the east side of the city by police and by the sheriff's helicopter, according to dispatchers.

The incident started at 8:40 a.m. when a homeowner confronted someone who was cutting off blooms from an ornamental plant, probably to sell or to propagate, police said.

The homeowner suffered minor wounds.

The thief ran, but later returned to his car and then led police on a chase through the city before blowing out a tire and stopping on Sebastopol Avenue and taking off on foot.

You would think they would just wait for him at his car....

Let's see, a helicopter thats about 1200 bucks an hour, plus a few cars, meanwhile back at the bank...........