Dear Friends and Neighbors:

I know I’m not going to make the news. I know no one is going to start an international rescue operation to help bring me home. I know most people will look at my picture and believe I’m not worth finding.

I’m just a garden stone. I cost less than $2.00 at Lowes.

But I have a home. Someone spent time and effort choosing me and installing me in a wall where I happily protected a garden and retained dirt and did my job to the best of my ability. I didn’t ask for much. I didn’t want for anything.

And then someone stole me and four of my friends. They stole me in the middle of the night. I’m somewhere now, probably dark and scared. Four of my friends are missing as well. Where are we? Can you help find us?

The worst part? Now whenever my owners walk, they see new stones replacing sections of their neighbors’ walls where perhaps other stones were stolen and replaced. Now, whenever my owners walk, they suspiciously eye a new paving installation made of many different-sized and different-shaped and different-colored retaining wall stones. Can they replace me with new stones? Will the new stones get taken as well?

My owners withstand the usual “disappearance” of items they’ve accidentally left outside over night. They know they’re paying one of the prices of living in the city. But I’ve always considered myself part of the property. What will disappear next? Trees? The front porch? What is safe?

Please help find me. Or, if you’ve also had part of your retaining wall stolen, please let me know so I won’t feel so alone.