They even took out our happy bench by the wildlife plot 🤬
Over the following few days, while still waiting for the police to visit the site (don’t get me started on that!) we received more reports of losses as plotholders noticed things missing. Including us, we found that our two forks, a spade and a Wolf tool had been taken from the communal toolshed. Others have lost more substantial and valuable items. We’ve been told by a plotholder, who’s a police special, that the case has gone to the ‘Hate Officer’ because of the graffiti - I expected that would mean a more speedy response. It’s funny how we still expect crime scenes to be finger-printed so that criminals can actually be caught…
Picking the Cavolo Nero gave me an opportunity to update my Allotment Wildlife Blog with information on whitefly - it’s been a very good year for them…
So, after that rather sorrowful post, here’s the sky from last night. So beautiful and look at the trees stripped of their leaves, like Autumn but not cold enough yet. I’ll be moaning about being too cold quite soon!
The title song is provided by The Damned, my favourite band for such a long time.
We go through stages where we have lots of break-ins too which is why we don't leave anything saleable in our shed and transport all our equipment. The trouble is that there is no deterrent as many crimes are not even investigated let alone much chance of anyone being caught. The problem is that things start small and once they get away with that things escalate. When I was teaching it was always important to clamp down on the little things so children knew that they couldn't get away with anything. The same goes for the low lives that we share our lives with.
ReplyDeleteWe also have lots of whitefly, I've been tempted to take a hand held vacuum and vac them once they are disturbed and fly up in a cloud. Have you noticed how they lay their eggs in a circle.
The police asked if we suspect anyone who may have done it. We don’t and that seems to have moved it down to a lower priority. You’re right, we certainly have the fear that we’ll all buy our replacement tools and then the thieves will return. It’s disappointing to think that the culprits likely won’t even be concerned about being caught. Unfortunately we don’t have the room to keep our tools at home, but we’ll certainly be careful what we leave on site 😔
DeleteI like your vacuum idea 🙂 Haven’t noticed the circles of eggs, although I think I may have photographed something like that before and not known what it was
DeleteSo sorry you've had such damage and theft and senseless vandalism at the site, it's such a shame. When I had a plot there were some thefts and a whole polytunnel was taken at one time. Also some destruction of fruit cages and a couple of sheds were burned down during a spate of arson. So I completely understand how you feel, it's so infuriating. People work so hard at allotments and to see things destroyed is heartbreaking. I hope it is at an end now.
ReplyDeleteOh god, arson would be terrible. We don’t have sheds, only the communal one, but people do store a lot of stuff in polytunnels. It’s felt safe to do so and it’s sad that we don’t think that way now. I’m just relieved the imbeciles didn’t visit in mid growing season
DeleteMy sympathies, it's heartbreaking when that happens. There have been instances of both theft and, to a lesser extent, vandalism on my site, but thankfully not recently. Both are dispiriting, especially the latter as it's so mindless. Usually such occurances are short lived although it does take time to get over it. Take care. xx
ReplyDeleteThanks Flighty, it was a shock as we’ve been largely crime-free over the years. Of course, we all fear a return now. Very sad
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