North Fort Myers woman heartbroken after garden gnomes stolen

NORTH FORT MYERS, Fla. —

A North Fort Myers woman is seeking the return of her stolen garden gnomes after more than 25 were taken from her property, leaving her heartbroken and frustrated.

“At first, I was just upset and hurt, like, wow. Now, I am just mad,” Shawn Haines said.

Ring camera footage shows a man riding a tricycle onto Haines’ property to steal the gnomes.

“Why would someone do this? They are gnomes,” Haines said.

The theft happened again, compounding her distress.

“They all had different significances to them, and I am just heartbroken,” she said.

Haines’ gnome collection, which she had been growing for 30 years, once filled her garden. After the theft, she moved the remaining gnomes inside to protect them.

Neighbor Matthew Spanier expressed disbelief over the theft.

“I don’t know why anyone would steal a gnome. Beats me. You don’t have anything better to do?” Spanier said.

Haines said her collection included gnomes in different poses and themes, many of which she painted with her grandchildren.

“My family does not live around here, so these little pieces here are parts of me and my family,” she said.

Her passion for gnomes began in 1990 after reading a book about them.

“I am hoping that someone comes forward. If not, just tell me where they are or, you know what? Put them in a box, drop them back off on my front porch,” Haines said.

She has filed a report with the Lee County Sheriff’s Office and hopes to fill her garden with gnomes once again.

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