Brazen Woman’s Tree Heist at Fort Worth Coffee Shop Goes Viral

Fort Worth coffee shop Ampersand is on the hunt for a fiddle leaf fig tree that was brazenly stolen by a customer in the middle of the day.

The video, caught by the cafe’s security cameras and posted to TikTok by employees of Ampersand, at 3052 University Drive, show a woman with long blonde hair sitting next to the tree. After looking around furtively, she grabs the tree by the trunk, pulling it out of its pot, and absconds with it. The entire episode takes about two seconds.

The TikTok, hilariously set to the 2011 gospel single “Walking” by Mary Mary, was posted on Monday, November 9. It has since been shared almost 17,000 times and has received more than half a million likes. Fiddle leaf figs are considered one of the most Instagram-worthy houseplants of 2020, and they definitely can be pricey, which could be why the five-finger discount was appealing to this unknown woman.

“It’s so random, but so funny at the same time,” Ampersand operating partner Toan Luong told the Fort Worth Star Telegram. “We’re just trying to make the best of the situation honestly. We had that plant since we began the shop. That’s why it’s so significant for us.”

As any true plant obsessive knows, fiddle leaf figs are notoriously finicky. Ampersand’s plant was large, about four feet tall, so let’s hope the plant-napper at least knows how to properly care for it. The restaurant is offering a $500 reward for the plant’s safe return, and those with information on its whereabouts can email info@ampersandfw.com.

Here’s a better photo of the tree in question for reference:

Ampersand/Facebook