AITA for making a punny “wall of shame” for people who stole from my mom’s garden?

A person decided to defend their mom’s garden from plant thieves with a humorous “wall of shame,” featuring pictures of culprits caught on a dash cam and punny labels like “Mr. Potato Head” and “Dirt-Bag.” While the mom found it hilarious, some neighbors—particularly those whose family members were featured—are upset, claiming it’s disproportionate and embarrassing.

‘ AITA for making a punny “wall of shame” for people who stole from my mom’s garden?’

My mom is really into gardening and sometimes people have come by and stole potted plants, yard statuettes, and even dug whole plant bulbs with plants out of the ground. Or cut all the roses off her bushes because they were too cheap to buy from the florist I guess.

Anyway my dash cam of my car which I park in the driveway near the garden bed caught most all of them close up and as a way to help my mom not have her plants stolen I printed all their pictures out and made a poster that said
“Oh Hay there! Don’t be a Daffy-dil and steal, or else you might end up doing hard Thyme! We hope Thistle be a lesson to Yew!

And I put the pictures of everyone stealing from the garden around the border. Also gave each person a funny fake name : “mr potato head” “dill-a-tante” “pothead” “p**ck” ‘Succ-er” ” i peony in my pants” “frond-less” ‘dirt-bag’ ‘in-fertile” and “root boy”. I thought it was funny and cutesy, like how can you be offended with dumb plant puns… My mom thought it was hilarious and wanted me to hang it up because she was sick of seeing stuff stolen.

But I got a couple complains, one neighbor said I needed to take it down because I had a picture of his son a minor who did something dumb yes but was just trying to bring his sick girlfriend flowers. And that is was disproportionate and rude to publicly shame him. I told him that it wasn’t that big of a deal and he told me that I was being petty. I called his kid a little Birch which pissed him off and honestly might of been petty.

Another guy came to the house and returned a cutting his wife apparently tookbto propogate thinking it would be no big deal… But yeah it damaged the plant because she cut like a quarter off. And he asked if we’d take down the sign because she was on the board of directors or something from the town and whatever. My mom had answered the door and told him to make like a bee and buzz off.

Anyway I guess they both know each other and now both these familys are annoyed. AITA for making a petty sign about people stealing from my mom’s garden? Hoping to get them to stop?

Here’s what the community had to contribute:

the_spacemambo −  NTA. These people STOLE. That’s a CRIME. And instead of pressing charges or whatever you have created something TRULY DELIGHTFUL. (I wish I were half as clever as you because I’d come up with a pun of my own.)
Not only are you not an a**hole, you’re also my hero.

HeyAnnieAreYouOK −  NTA. If they don’t like it, they can get clover it.

athshe2 −  NTA. Don’t do the crime if you can’t do the thyme!

RamenNoodles620 −  NTA. This sounds like a hilarious way to call people out for stealing from someone’s property. Sounds like some of these people are ruining the garden and not just taking a flower here and there. To the parent complaining about his sons picture being there, he should have his son apologize to your mom in order to get his picture down.

Maybe even have the son bring your mom some flowers (parents can buy some if he can’t) as a way to show he is actually sorry. Going straight to how it’s public shaming instead of telling his son not to steal from other people is kind of funny. Doubt your mom would have minded if the kid said he wanted a couple flowers for his sick gf as long as he actually asked her first.

ForkAKnife −  NTA. I think this is boss. A local video store used to have a wall of shame for people who never returned videos and it was pretty good prevention for me at least. Has anyone who didn’t steal from you complain about it?

Delicious_Lobster468 −  NTA, but I would sit with your mum and discuss how to get off the wall of shame. Is it after some period of time? An apology and compensation? Etc. So when people come to ask to be removed you can explain the process.

CrazySpoon97 −  I’d say NTA, I’m assuming these are adults who know better than to steal that are being shamed? Also regarding the guy’s kid who’s a minor, he should be teaching his child not to steal it doesn’t matter if it was just flowers he shouldn’t have touched them.

Cassy0827 −  NTA because they literally STOLE from you guys. To take proper cuttings or to take the roses, you need some tools of sorts which requires the forethought of “I’m taking something that isn’t mine without permission.” Stores in my area have a “board of beer shame” of those who either stole or attempted to steal alcohol so it’s not like this is a new idea, although you’re puns were great. Besides, who brings back a useless chunk of a plant they stole? What did they expect, that you’d just gorilla glue that baby back on?

[Reddit User] −  NTA. . . . but bordering on ESH. At the point that someone apologizes and tries to make it right, especially if it’s a kid, you should probably take it down, especially if it was a cutting and not stealing a whole ass potted plant. But it doesn’t sound like these people were particularly apologetic, just demanding, so they can eff off. If I were you and your mom, I’d tell the kid he can work it off with an hour of work in the garden, and the adult that she can bring a full and healthy new plant to replace the one she damaged, and then take them down.

angela-panda −  NTA. The sign is hilarious! These people are stealing and this sounds like it’s definitely going to stop them.