‘Orchid Thief’ sequel in Coral Gables? Woman charged with stealing $4,000 of the pricey blooms
Back in 1998, The New Yorker reporter Susan Orlean’s investigation of the arrest of John Laroche and some Seminole tribesmen for poaching rare orchids from Big Cypress’ Fakahatchee Strand State Preserve led to a best-selling book, “The Orchid Thief.”
A movie adaptation, called appropriately “Adaptation,” starring Meryl Streep and Nicolas Cage, was released in 2002.
Perhaps Coral Gables could be the setting for a sequel. This one has an accused orchid thief. A plucky community effort. And a neighborhood beautifying project of bright white and purple blooms set against the surging coronavirus pandemic.
The arrest
On Wednesday, Coral Gables police arrested and charged 34-year-old Katrina Marie Brady with several counts of grand theft for “stealing orchids that residents had placed on trees growing in the swale,” according to Sgt. Tomas Salcedo.
The approximate value of the orchids: $4,000, Salcedo said in his report.
Police say Brady was spotted on surveillance video plucking the flowers off the trees on June 4 and June 19 in the 1800-2000 blocks of Country Club Prado, a residential neighborhood known for its expansive grassy median where children fly kites, dogs fetch and families picnic.
The Orchid Project
The origin of the flowers — let’s call it the Orchid Project — began about two to three years ago when mosaic artist Ray Corral and Alina Melidena moved into the neighborhood and started putting orchids in the towering live oak trees lining the sidewalks, said their neighbor Carl Kafka.
Then the neighbors across the street started to put orchids in the trees on the swale, said Kafka, a Miami criminal defense attorney and sports photographer.
Neighbors from about six homes pitched in, adding more colorful flowers to the trees by their homes. The Orchid Project gave even more character to a charming locale.
“Ray wanted to put in orchids for the good of all the neighbors,” said Kafka, who lives cater-corner to Corral and Melidena. “They are so beautiful — especially in the pandemic, when we are all using our street so often. For someone to do that ...”
“Since all the parks were closed in the city, a lot of people outside the City of Coral Gables were using our streets to run and exercise, and everything was really beautiful,” Corral told WSVN in June when the orchids were first taken.
Replacing the orchids
After the first theft, Corral bought about $2,000 worth of orchids and placed them a bit higher in the trees to thwart efforts to steal them, he told WSVN. Kafka figures about 275 more orchids took root along the block.
The neighbors, in turn, added more white and purple buds.
Then, the early morning thief struck again.
Brady was charged with several counts of grand theft and transported to Turner Guilford Knight Correctional, Coral Gables police said.
Paging Streep and Cage.
This story was originally published July 15, 2020 at 6:28 PM with the headline "‘Orchid Thief’ sequel in Coral Gables? Woman charged with stealing $4,000 of the pricey blooms."
