A bizarre yew tree thief is causing chaos in one of the most barking mad cases in city history.

The green-fingered felon has struck TWELVE times in one garden in the past three months, each time ripping trees up by the roots and making off with them.

Neither police nor the owners of the Browns Wood house can twig just why he is doing it.

And this week, unable to justify calling in Special Branch, they have asked Citizen readers to help solve the mystery.

For the first time they have a picture of the Yew Tree Thief, snapped by the irate owner of the house during a night-time vigil.

"He was so sure the thief was going to strike again that he hid behind the fence with his camera.

"As soon as he heard a noise, he stuck the camera over the fence and snapped," said investigating officer PC Terry Capel.

He is asking if anyone recognises the man, who faces being charged with theft or criminal damage.

"We'd also like to know if anyone has been offered cheap yew trees for sale, or if anyone has seen someone planting a lot of yew trees in their garden," he said.

Police admit they are baffled about the motive but are convinced it is not a vendetta.

"The householders are just ordinary, nice people who have not upset anyone.

"All they did was have their garden landscaped in July and planted a boundary hedge of yews.

"But ever since the trees have been steadily disappearing. Mostly they are stolen, but sometimes they have simply been uprooted and thrown across the garden.

"Once there were even half a dozen left piled up by the front door... It is extremely odd."

The slow-growing yew is often grown in churchyards and can reach an age of 4,000 years.

It is however poisonous and can cause nausea, sleepiness, spasms and shortage of breath.

Anyone with information about the Yew Thief should contact PC Capel on 0845 8 505 505 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.