Cynde Duffy has been reunited with her stolen bay trees – thanks to some serious detective work by the town's police team.

The two 4ft high shrubs in pots worth £120 were stolen by thieves from outside Cynde's home in Lake Street, Dartmouth, just under a fortnight ago.

On Monday this week, police tracked them down to the home of a middle-aged couple in Townstal where the plants were spotted sitting on the thieving duo's back garden patio.

The Dartmouth-based officers used CCTV footage and one officer's expert knowledge of vehicle door handles to narrow down the age of the car the couple used to make their getaway.

Cynde declared: 'I am really impressed because I really didn't think the police would be able to trace them.

'They were only worth £120 but it was the fact that the thieves were so brazen.

'It is absolutely fantastic. The police did a fantastic job. I never thought I would see my trees again.'

Cynde also thanked her neighbour Kevin Pyne who helped out in the hunt for the two miniature bay trees.

Kevin said: 'My thanks go out to the Dartmouth Chronicle and to all the staff at the local police station and to John at the Victoria Road Spar shop for helping my fantastic neighbour get her stolen bay trees back.

'The Chronicle made the town aware that they were missing, the Spar shop made available right away the nighttime CCTV footage and the police by some very canny observational detective work found them for her.

'And to those who stole them – I bet it all came as a bit of a surprise when the long arm of the law knocked on the door.'

The CCTV footage showed a couple walk by the plants and study them and then return five minutes later in a Corsa car, load the plants up and drive away.

Sgt Iain Simons said officers only got a partial registration on film but had been able to narrow the age of the car down by its panels, door trim and door handles. Using what registration they had, they found a local owner which matched.

Mrs Duffy was taken by police to look over a garden hedge where she spotted her plants and the police moved in.

Sgt Simons said the middle aged couple at the address had admitted stealing the plants in what they said was a 'drunken prank' but had then decided to keep hold of them.

He said Mrs Duffy had spoken to the couple face-to-face and received and apology and at her request the issue had been deal with through the 'restorative justice' system – where no further police action is taken if there is an apology or some form of compensation.

Mrs Duffy is now keeping her bay trees in her back garden.

'They are put away safely until my brother comes and puts some rings and chains outside the front door so they can't be stolen again,' she said.