Woman suspected of stealing plants from Shawnee antique shop is identified, police say

On Sunday, a woman drove up to the front of a Shawnee antique store. She was there to steal something, but the target wasn’t merchandise. It was plants.

A suspect has been identified and charges are pending in connection to the theft outside Shawnee Antique Mall at 7410 Nieman Road, police said Thursday.

Surveillance footage shows the woman drive up to the front of the shop and pull all four coleus plants from their planters with her hands. The store posted Sunday that two pots of flowers and the bin used for mailbox decoration had also been taken.

A motive for the act has not yet been disclosed by police.

“We really have no clue. I personally want to ask her that question myself, but obviously I can’t,” said Jaxon Nilges, a store employee who has been managing the outdoor plants. “We think that around this time of the year she just wants to have flowers for her guests that she has during the summertime, or something.”

Nilges started adding the plants in 2023 and said last year was the first time any thefts had occurred.

Last year, whole planters were stolen, and he said staff think it was done by the same woman.

“We’re really happy as a store that she got caught, and we’re able to do this next year worry free, hopefully,” Nilges said. “So, for us, we think it’s a win for the store.”